News

Probe ordered into Agriculture Minister’s allegation Rs. 300 mn demanded from foreign investor for EIA on dairy farm

Published

5 years ago

2022/03/22

By Ifham Nizam

An investigation would be carried out into the allegation that Rs. 300 million was asked for to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA) for a dairy farm, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said yesterday.

Minister Amaraweera said so in response to Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage’s recent allegation that the Ministry of Environment had asked for as much as Rs. 300 million from a foreign investor to to an EIA on a dairy farm to be set up.

The Environment Ministry never issued environmental assessment reports, and there were 63 private institutions registered with the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) for issuing EIA Reports, Minister Amaraweera said.

Those activities were carried out by university intellectuals, Amaraweera added.

“I inquired about the statement made by Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage. That is completely false statement. Neither the Ministry of Environment nor the Central Environmental Authority can make such a request. The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) will provide a list of institutions that carry out relevant monitoring activities upon request for an EIA report from the CEA.

The investor should choose from which institution to obtain the EIA report.”

Minster Amaraweera instructed the CEA to investigate and find out whether any institution had unjustly demanded Rs. 300 million for the release of an environmental report.

The Environment Ministry yesterday launched a programme to plant white sandalwood saplings near the entrance to the Defence Headquarters to mark the first anniversary of the Husma Dena Thuru tree-planting programme aimed at increasing the country’s forest cover.

Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Environment and a number of officials from the Army Headquarters were also present on the occasion.

The Minister said: “World Forest Day falls today (21). The theme of this Day is “Forest Restoration, Healing and a Path to Existence. 21 March has been designated as World Forest Day by the United Nations General Assembly since 2012.

“Sri Lanka has been celebrating this day since 2014. Also, this program is being launched today to mark the first anniversary of the programme launched by the Ministry of Environment to increase the forest cover.

“Sri Lanka’s forest cover is currently 29.02%. To increase it to 30 percent by 2030, we need to reforest 65,000 hectares. Although the responsibility for forestation is not directly vested in the Ministry of Environment, we will shoulder that responsibility.

“We have allocated Rs. 50 million this year for the Husma Dena Thuru National Tree Planting Programme.

“I would like to express my gratitude to the Army for its support for this programme. I have also done a number of programmes with the Army. I would like to mention that it was due to the unwavering commitment of the Army personnel, the Defence Minister, the Defence Secretary and the Army Commander that we were able to achieve success.”

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

15 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

15 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

15 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.