‘New nekatha for planting saplings during Avurudu’ | Page 2 | Daily News

‘New nekatha for planting saplings during Avurudu’

A new nekatha to plant saplings would be added to the Sinhala and Tamil New Year’s (Avurudu) auspicious times from next year onward, Central Environmental Authority (CEA) Chairman Chandraratne Pallegama said.

He was addressing a gathering at the BT Gardens Hotel in Biyagama, yesterday.

He said President Maithripala Sirisena had agreed to include it to the neketh seettuwa, adding that it would promote sapling-planting among people.

Pallegama said the CEA encouraged schools and public institutions to set up their own plant nurseries.

He said the CEA would adhere to a stringent assessment before giving approval to mini hydro projects in future.

The CEA Chairman added that such projects had led to adverse environmental issues in many parts of the country.

“In future, we will not approve any proposal for mini hydro projects without a well-prepared strategic plan.These projects have become questionable over and over again, and have raised numerous environmental concerns” he said.

Pallegama added that the CEA, under his administration, had begun to deal with environmental problems directly, without giving way to political pressure.

“I always advise my officials to work with integrity, without bowing down to political pressure. During my tenure, no EPL (Environmental Protection License) had been issued due to political pressure,” he said, “If we cannot protect our environment when the Head of State is also the Environment Minister, we can never do it. We must take stern steps to prevent environmental destruction”.


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