Affidavit filed by the Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam in the matter of news item titled "the last feral horses in India" appearing in Mongabay, November 5, 2024. The matter relates to the critically endangered status of feral horses in the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park as well as of smuggling of these …
Scientists, experts, environmentalists and concerned citizen groups yesterday stressed that they would join hands to take legal action against the government’s latest move to dump garbage at a site in Puttalam, which they claimed was paleodiversity haven in the country. Paleontologist cum researcher, Kelum Manamendraarachchi told The Island that the …
Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday said the government would be compelled to ban the use of glyphosate in all 24 districts since the ongoing investigations revealed that people were also beginning to be affected by the chronic kidney disease owing to the use of that chemical. Minister Abeywardena told …
Mega road development projects costing around Rs. 42,979 million are being implemented for the convenience of the people in the Uva Province under the Mahinda Chinthana accelerated road development program, Highways, Ports and Shipping Project Minister Nirmala Kothalawala told the Daily News yesterday. He said these massive road development projects …
Senior officials of the governments of South Asian countries, and regional and international experts working in combating wildlife crime have descended on Kathmandu to formulate an action plan to combat wildlife crimes in South Asia. Over 50 participants from the governments of South Asian countries and other international experts will …
In a bid to prevent farmers from harmful effects of agrochemicals, the government has banned the use of glyphosate in four districts with immediate effect. Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena told The Island that the government had decided to ban the use of glyphosate in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Monaragala and …
The economies of South Asia, home to half the world’s poor, stand to lose almost a quarter of their gross domestic product annually by the end of the century should they fail to fight climate change. India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives are more at risk than …
South Asian economies will be badly squeezed by climate change within a few decades if no action is taken to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming, according to a report published on Tuesday by the Asian Development Bank. The report calculates that the six countries studied – …
The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has embarked on a new project to construct a bio-gas plant in Matara expanding the scope of its “Pilisaru” national solid waste management program. The plant is a joint venture by the CEA, Matara Municipal Council and the Bio Green Company. The project envisaged to …
Sri Lanka currently had a healthy elephant population, but it was under threat due to land fragmentation and the lack of elephant corridors, Wildlife Conservation Department (WCD) Director General H. D Ratnayake said yesterday. In Sri Lanka annually around 200 – 300 elephants died and around 250-300 were born, he …
Snakebite is a common occupational health hazard among Sri Lankan agricultural workers, particularly in the North Central Province and a recent study has found that venomous snake bites, particularly viper bites have frequently led to kidney failure among the farmers in these areas. A study conducted by researchers at the …
The Sri Lanka National Human Development Report 2014 on Youth and Development explores the challenges of young people and opportunities for development, in the areas of education, employment, health, political participation and social integration, with gender as a cross-cutting theme.
An expert committee comprising leading scientists and economists has been appointed by the Cabinet to research on mercury use in Sri Lanka, Environment and Renewable Energy Ministry Secretary B.M.U.D. Basnayake told the Daily News yesterday. He said the committee is expected to hand over a report for Cabinet reference to …
The Economic Development Ministry has allocated Rs. 7,435 million to develop Ratnapura and Kegalla districts in the Sabaragamuwa Province under the House-to-House, Village-to-Village National Economic Development Plan. The Sabaragamuwa program will cover 1,148 Grama Seva Divisions in 28 Divisional Secretariat areas of the 17 electorates in the two districts. The …
Over one million people in Sri Lanka have severely been affected by the prolonged drought prevailing in 14 districts of the island, a government minister says. Minister of Health Maithreepala Sirisena said around 1.15 million people have been affected by the drought in .Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Moneragala, Ampara, Hambantota, Puttalam, Trincomalee, …
Environmentalists on Tuesday raised concerns over lack of transparency within the Wildlife Conservation Department (WCD) in issuing permits, registration of captive elephants, and confiscation of illegal held elephants. They alleged that the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) was trying to protect the officials of the Wildlife …
Nearly 1,000 acres of forest were destroyed by fire during the last month in various parts of the country. The Forest Department and Wildlife Department of officials complain that they are badly handicapped by a severe shortage of staff and vehicles to carry out their duties and functions. More than …
The Hirdaramani Group's Mihila Factory, recently re-certified itself as having completely offset it entire operational carbon footprint. Asia's first CarbonNeutral Apparel Manufacturer and the first in Sri Lanka to continually maintain its CarbonNeutral status over three years, the Mihila Factory continues to drive environmental sustainability as a vital aspect of …
The government has implemented a number of accelerated programs to provide concessions to 11,459 families affected by the prevailing drought. Many people face immense difficulties as their daily income has been curtailed by damages to their crops. Such families will be identified and alternative livelihood programs will be started for …
Disaster Management Ministry said that it had allocated Rs. 1900 million to assist drought victims. Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday told The Island that Rs. 1300 million had already been released to compensate drought victims in the Northern, Eastern, and North Central Provinces and Hambantota, Moneragala, Puttalam and Badulla …
Malaysia's state-owned utility company Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has signed an agreement to invest in a hybrid wind and solar power project in Sri Lanka's Northern Jaffna peninsula. TNB, one of the largest companies listed on Bursa Malaysia, announced in a market disclosure that it signed an investment agreement with …
