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Fresh appeal to President to have rape of Dahaiyagala sanctuary halted

Published

6 years ago

2021/02/4

By Ifham Nizam

Nearly 20 leading environmental/wildlife organisations have teamed up to make an appeal to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to ensure the environmental security and rights of future generations of Sri Lanka by immediately putting an end to the ongoing forest destruction in the Dahaiyagala sanctuary.

Environmental Scientist Hemantha Withanage yesterday said environmentalists and wildlife enthusiasts countrywide urged the government to end the ongoing environmental destruction in the country, allegedly being undertaken in the name of chena cultivation, agriculture expansion and lands for housing, etc.

“We are greatly concerned about your apparent endorsement of land grabbing, and encroachment on forests, thereby destroying precious wildlife habitats and water catchment areas,” the team has said in a letter to President Rajapaksa.

Withanage said Sri Lanka had less than 17% of true forests remaining; the rest being degraded lands or tree plantations. The remaining forest habitats were home to over 7, 500 species of flora and over 15,000 species of fauna – much of this was endemic to Sri Lanka.

Small forest corridors such as the Dahaiyagala sanctuary, the Flood Plains Reserve, etc., were very important for all wildlife and especially for elephant migration, he said.

The ongoing forest destruction was an issue the country had to deal with as it was working towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets, senior environmentalist Dr. Jagath Gunawardena said, adding that Sri Lanka had to go for foreign loans based on the performance of the17 SDGs.

There was no such thing as other forests. “Sri Lanka laws do not provide for utilising lands coming under the Fauna and Flora Ordinance Act for other purposes”.

Gunawardena, who is a lawyer, said the President, Prime Minister, Wildlife Minister or the Director General had no right to go beyond the existing laws.

Gunawardena also expressed concern about experts and professionals keeping quiet about the distribution of forest lands.

Representing Lak Sobha Sanrakshanaya (Senior Group of YZA), Samantha Gunasekera said the current development move would not eradicate poverty here, but further aggravate the existing economic problems.

Citing examples, he said the country should focus on tapping natural resources, citing examples, a mere 10 grammes on bio resources would fetch USD 3,300.

He said that Pulmuddai was full of natural resources and if nano technology was used in exploiting them in an environmentally friendly manner, Sri Lanka could be on par with Singapore economically.

The former Customs Department, Biodiversity Head also warned that forest land distribution would lead to floods and drought.

Environmentalist Nayanaka Ranwella, who returned from Dahaiyagala, yesterday, said 14 groups were carrying out forest clearance and most of them were outsiders.

“President Gotabaya Rajapaksa should be held responsible for this forest rape. We urge President Rajapaksa not to do a Donald Trump. I remember what happened to President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2015 and what happened to the disastrous combination President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.”.

The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS), Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL), Federation of Environmental Organizations (FEO), Movement for National Land and Agriculture Reform (MONLAR), Protect Wilpattu, Wildlife Conservation Forum (WCF), Rainforest Protectors of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Climate and Forest Action Network (SLCFAN) , Wildlife Conservation Society of Galle, Center for Conservation and Research (CCR), Biodiversity and Elephant Conservation Trust (BECT) , Biodiversity Conservation and Research Circle (BCRC), Friends of Wilpattu (FOW), Elephant Forest and Environment Conservation Trust (EFECT) and Young Zoologists Association of Sri Lanka have jointly launched a public signature campaign in protest against the destruction of forests.

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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura

Published

2 hours ago

2026/09/26

Priyan

The National Building Research Institute has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura from 16:00 hrs on 25.09.2026 To 16:00 hrs on 26.09.2026

Accordingly,
LEVEL III [RED] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Neluwa, Nagoda, Niyagama and Thawalama inthe Galle district, Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa and Pasbage Korale in the Kandy district, and Kothmale West, Ambagamuwa, Kotmale East and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district.

LEVEL II [AMBER] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Elpitiya, Baddegama and Karandeniya in the Galle district, Walallawita in the Kalutara district, Deltota, Udunuwara, Gangawata Korale, Yatinuwara and Panvila in the Kandy district, Aranayake, Dehiowita, Mawanella, Deraniyagala and Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district, Thalawakelle in the Nuwara Eliya district and Ratnapura and Pelmadulla in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colombo district, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Katuwana and Walasmulla in the Hambanthota district, Ingiriya and Bulathsinhala in the Kalutara district, Hatharaliyadda, Poojapitiya, Medadumbara, Kundasale, Ududumbara, Thumpane, Akurana, Pathadumbara, Harispattuwa and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Warakapola, Bulathkohupitiya, Galigamuwa, Kegalle and Ruwanwella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Alawwa, Polgahawela and Mawathagama in the Kegalle district, Pitabeddara, Kotapola and Pasgoda in the Matara district, Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district and Elapatha, Ayagama, Nivithigala, Kuruwita and Kalawana in the Ratnapura district

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22A, Judicature Amendment Bills passed with 2/3 majority

Published

3 hours ago

2026/09/26

Thilina Walpola

Parliament yesterday passed the Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution Bill and the Judicature (Amendment) Bill with two-thirds majorities, with 158 MPs voting in favour and 63 against each Bill.

The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) voted with the SJB against the Bills.

NDF MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Faizer Musthapha and SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilaka were not present when the votes were taken.

The final vote on the Judicature (Amendment) Bill was announced at around 8.08 p.m. after Opposition MPs called for divisions on its clauses during the Committee Stage.

The votes followed a two-day debate which commenced on Thursday (24), after Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara presented the Bills for their Second Reading.

The Supreme Court’s determination on the Bills was presented to Parliament on Tuesday (22) by Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne. The Court determined that the 22nd Amendment Bill did not require approval at a referendum and could be passed by a special two-thirds majority in Parliament.

The amendment provides for raising the mandatory retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and that of Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65. It also provides for the Chief Justice to retire at 67 or after completing six years in office, whichever comes earlier.

The Speaker informed Parliament that the Judicature (Amendment) Bill could be passed by a simple majority.

The SJB opposed the legislation and its MPs attended Parliament dressed in black yesterday. The party also staged a protest at Polduwa Junction, Battaramulla, under the theme “No to 22, which destroys democracy”, with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and several SJB politicians participating.

News

TIN mandatory for key transactions from Nov. 1

Published

3 hours ago

2026/09/26

Thilina Walpola

A valid Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) Certificate will be required for a range of key transactions in Sri Lanka from November 1, 2026, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has announced.

The requirement, introduced under the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 11 of 2026, applies to transactions specified under Section 102(3) of the Inland Revenue Act.

Accordingly, individuals will be required to produce a valid TIN Certificate when opening an account at a bank or financial institution, obtaining approval for a building plan, registering or renewing the licence of a motor vehicle, registering land or title to land, registering a business, transferring shares in a company incorporated in Sri Lanka or obtaining a credit card.

In the case of share transfers, both the transferor and transferee will be required to provide TIN certificates.

The IRD said officials handling such transactions had been instructed to ensure that a valid TIN Certificate was submitted before processing or completing the relevant transaction.

The Department advised those who do not already have a TIN to obtain one in advance through its e-Services platform.

It said a printout of the TIN verification result showing the applicant’s National Identity Card number and TIN could also be accepted instead of the certificate.The IRD also reiterated that obtaining a TIN is mandatory for resident individuals aged 18 and above under the applicable provisions.