News
New Act to make penalties for nature vandalism ten times higher
By Ifham Nizam
The government would enhance the penalties for destroying the environment under the new National Environmental Act currently in the pipeline, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday said, adding that penalties for such offences would be increased 10 times.
“Environmental destruction is a grave crime like murder. Those who protect the environment would be rewarded.
An awards ceremony will be held to give them national recognition.”
Amaraweera said that 107,000 saplings had been planted countrywide during the last four months under the Husma Dena Thuru tree planting programme.
The National Tree Planting Programme, which he launched as the Minister of Environment, had become very popular, the Minister said.
“When I became the Minister of Environment, I introduced 20 environmental programmess including Haritha Hetak, the most important among them being the Husma Dena Thuru, tree planting programme. Under this we have set a target of planting two million saplings in the next four years.
A human being needed 550 litres of oxygen. One person needs at least 10 trees to produce this amount of oxygen. Some people cannot appreciate this fact and do not plant at least one tree during their lifetime, the Minister observed.
Amaraweera said trees were worshiped by our ancestors because they knew the value of trees.
The Cabinet of Ministers granted their concurrence to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Youth Affairs to appoint S. Achchudan of Special Grade of Sri Lanka Administrative Service, who is currently serving as an Additional Commissioner of Elections at the Elections Commission who is
recommended by the panel of interviewers to the post of Director General of the Sports Development Department with effect form 01.01.2026.
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal furnished by the Minister of Environment to publish the draft bill of the National Environment (Amended) Act in the government gazette notification and subsequently to submit the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Buddhism, Religious, and Cultural Affairs to provide tax relief on imported dates received as donations or gift for Ramadan.
This year’s Ramadan fasting season is scheduled to begin on 19-02-2026 and end on 21-03-2026.
Shafali, Renuka close in on top five in ICC T20I rankings
S. Achchudan appointed as Director General of the Sports Development Department.
Amendment of the National Environment Act No. 47 of 1980
Tax relief for Dates received as donations or gifts for Ramadan
Cabinet nod to establish the Sri Lanka Industrial Transformation and innovation Authority
Temporary employment of Sri Lankan labour in the State of Israel
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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