Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister, Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana told Parliament yesterday that
an investigation has begun regarding the removal of copper wires and nails on the New Kelani Bridge and a complaint has already been made to the Police regarding the damage caused to the bridge.
He said that the Criminal Investigation Department has begun an investigation in this regard.
The Minister said this in response to a question raised by MP Dayasiri Jayasekara regarding the removal of copper wires and nails on the New Kelani Bridge.
The Minister said that a special programme has been implemented to protect places of this nature and a report on the actual data will be submitted to Parliament.
Thefts happening at railway yards in Dematagoda and Ratmalana and other railway bridges cannot be stopped easily. Since the railway security alone cannot stop this we had to deploy the Police as well as the STF. These robberies are done in a very organized manner all the time. They are seriously working to remove even the small piece of iron on the railway tracks.This is public property. Even a train may overturn if that small piece of iron attached to a rail track is removed. A special programme is being implemented in the future to control this situation.
Commenting on the felling of the Pandu Karanda tree, the Minister said that the company building the road demanded Rs.5 billion as late fees due to the halt of the construction due to this tree. Otherwise, we need nearly Rs.15 billion to construct the road around it. I got a report on this from the botanists and technical groups and they made it clear that there are 15 trees that are more than 40 years old and 40 trees that are more than 12 feet tall. They have also planted more than 200 saplings together with the Forest Department and others. I gave all this information to Cabinet. Permission was requested to cut and remove this tree because it has been prepared to grow in suitable places in the wet zone. The Cabinet gave permission.A national project has been started in Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya to plant 200 more Pandu Karanda trees with the objective of preservation for the benefit of the nation and the national economy.
Irangika Range and Ishara Mudugamuwa
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