News

Lord Ahamad plants kumbuk tree sapling during visit to Bellanwila – Attidiya Bird Sanctuary

Published

4 years ago

2022/01/25

By Ifham Nizam

Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, the United Nations and the Commonwealth at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the UK, planted a Kumbuk (Terminalia arjuna) sapling at the Bellanwila – Attidiya Bird Sanctuary last week.

The Department of Wildlife said Lord Ahmad had been joined by the British High Commissioner in Colombo Sarah Hulton, Hasanthi Urugodwatte Dissanayake, Acting Additional Secretary of Ocean Affairs, Environment and Climate Change at the Foreign Ministry, Saman Liyanagama, Wildlife Ranger of the Colombo Wildlife Range, Department of Wildlife Conservation and Professor Sevvandi Jayakoddy, Senior Lecturer of the Wayamba University.

The planting activity was followed by a brief visit to the wetland and Prof. Jayakoddy, and Liyanagama explained the importance of wetland ecosystems as well as challenges in conservation and maintenance, while Dissanayake briefed him on the Sri Lanka’s pioneering work related to mangrove restoration and conservation, both at policy level as well as at the ground level.

Hasini Sarathchandra, Publicity Officer, Department of Wildlife Conservation said British High Commission in Colombo with the International Water Management Institute Headquartered in Sri Lanka, had already launched a project under the Darwin Initiative at the Baddegana Wetlands. Similar collaborations are envisaged involving the Bellanwila – Attidiya Bird Sanctuary.

Wetlands play an important role in our natural environment. They mitigate the impacts of floods, absorb pollutants and improve water quality. They provide habitat for animals and plants and many contain a wide diversity of life, supporting plants and animals that are found nowhere else. Colombo is a city built on and around wetlands. Despite progressive loss and degradation, wetlands still cover some 200 km2 of the Colombo metropolitan area and suburbs.

The wetlands are fundamental to the well-being of the people of Colombo and its suburbs. The wetlands can reduce extreme air temperatures and make the city more live able due to evaporative cooling. The wetlands provide a critical land-mass which helps to maintain the richness of Colombo’s biodiversity.

The Bellanwila-Attidiya wetlands was declared as a bird sanctuary on 25 July 1990, due to biodiversity of the area and its contribution to controlling floods. The wetlands, which span over 930 acres, host endemic species and is a paradise for migratory birds. 44 species of fish including 06 which are endemic to the country have been identified in the Bolgoda River which flows through the wetlands. The wetlands are also home to 21 reptilian species, 17 species of mammals and 10 butterfly species. Bellanwia-Attidiya sanctuary falls within the upper catchment of the Bolgoda river basin. The Department of Wildlife Conservation manages the Bellanwila-Attidiya Sanctuary.

Selection of the location was also due to the close collaboration that Sri Lanka has with the Government of the UK on conservation of mangroves and wetlands.

All News Advertisement

Latest News

Committee on Economic Surveillance to be established

Published

1 min ago

2026/03/10

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President to appoint the Committee on Economic Surveillance headed by the Minister of Labour, Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando as the Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning and comprised of the relevant heads of the Institutions and eminencies in the field to provide recommendations to the Cabinet of Ministers on the essential policy precautions to be taken by constantly supervising the impact that can affect Sri Lankan economy due to the conflict in the Middle East.

News

Cabinet nod to include the National Savings Bank for the Interest-Free Loan Scheme for Students

Published

28 mins ago

2026/03/10

Priyan

The Interest-Free Loan Scheme is implemented to follow government-recognized degree programs in non-governmental higher education institutions for students who have passed the General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) Examination and have not been eligible to enter a state university.

At present, the People’s Bank and the Bank of Ceylon are the banks that are granting loans under the aforementioned loan scheme. It has been planned to provide loan facilities for 7,000 students under stage 10 of the aforementioned loan scheme.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Prime Minister in her capacity as the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education to include the National Savings Bank as a bank that grants loans for students under the aforementioned loan scheme, in addition to the People’s Bank and Bank of Ceylon.

Latest News

PM holds bilateral meetings in the Philippines to strengthen cooperation in Education, Skills Development, and Agricultural Research

Published

4 hours ago

2026/03/10

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya held a series of meetings with key Philippine institutions during her official visit to the Philippines from 09–11 March 2026, focusing on strengthening cooperation in education, higher education, technical skills development, and agricultural research.

On 09 March, the Prime Minister met with the Secretary of Education of the Philippines, Sonny Angara. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the education sector, including sharing best practices in education policy, teacher training, curriculum reforms, and digital learning initiatives. The Prime Minister also briefed the Philippine delegation on Sri Lanka’s ongoing education reforms aimed at modernizing curricula and integrating technology into learning.

The Prime Minister also met with a delegation of the Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines (CHED), led by Chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis. Discussions centered on the development of higher education in both countries, with particular attention to research collaboration, academic partnerships between universities, student and faculty exchanges, and strengthening quality assurance frameworks.

In a separate meeting, the Prime Minister held talks with the Secretary and Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Jose Francisco B. Benitez. The discussions focused on cooperation in technical and vocational education and training (TVET), including knowledge sharing, institutional partnerships, and possible alignment of qualifications frameworks to enhance skills recognition and workforce mobility.

The meetings reaffirmed the commitment of Sri Lanka and the Philippines, along with international research institutions, to strengthen collaboration in education, skills development, and agricultural research in support of sustainable development and human capital growth.

The Sri Lankan delegation included the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Philippines, Dr. Chanaka Talpahewa, and Senior Assistant Secretary to the Prime Minister, Ms. P.H. Piyumee Bandara.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]