Local
Tags:
Sri Lanka
Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has instructed the GSBM to immediately rehabilitate abandoned excavation sites after excavating soil, rocks and sand. The Minister of Environment had instructed the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau to submit an immediate report in this regard.
According to the GSBM, there are currently about 950 sites that have not been formally rehabilitated. Therefore, the Ministry of Environment has launched a special environmental conservation program called ‘Mihikathata Kandemu’ to rehabilitate excavated sites
Accordingly, the Mihimawata Kandemu environmental conservation program was launched yesterday (27) at Iluppankulam, Trincomalee. An area of 25 acres in Illuppankulam has been abandoned due to excavations and the rehabilitation of the entire area commenced yesterday (27) under the patronage of the Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera.
No rehabilitation work has been carried out in this area at present. There are many such places in our country. Some excavations are even scary to look at. Such places may even cause casualties in the future. I saw in the media that even an elderly mother fell into an abandoned mine recently and died. The Geological Survey and Mines Bureau has initiated a program to rehabilitate all such sites.
The report submitted to me states that from 2012 to 2021, 2491 excavation sites have been rehabilitated under permits issued by the Bureau.
But about 950 places have not yet been rehabilitated. Therefore, I instructed the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau to rehabilitate all those sites.
Now this place is 25 acres. Although excavations have been carried out continuously and the soil has been removed, this site has not been rehabilitated by the relevant licensee. Once the excavation permits have been obtained, action will be taken not to re-issue permits to those who do not rehabilitate those sites as promised. The other thing is that the country does not get any economic benefit from these places. Therefore, we have planned to use these excavation sites for the livelihood development of the people living nearby.
This Illuppankulam excavation site is currently without any trees. Therefore, it will be turned into a place for planting trees and attracting the public, the Minister said.
The Illuppankulam soil excavation site is the first rehabilitation project under the Mihimawata Kandemu environmental conservation program. Dr. Manjula Prasad Hewage, Chairman, Geological Survey and Mines Bureau were also present at the occasion.
Monday, March 28, 2022 – 13:20