Central Environmental Authority Chief goes aboard Port City dredger

Wednesday, 19 April 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A 15-member delegation of senior Government officials, which included the Chairman of the Central Environment Authority (CEA), went on an inspection tour of the Colombo Port City’s sand mining operation.

CEA Chairman Prof. Lal Mervin Dharmasiri, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Rohana Keerthi Dissanayake, Director, Presidential Taskforce on Environmental Conservation Dr. UpaliIndrasiri and Working Director of Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC) Roshan Gunawardane were part of the team which went on board the second sand dredger Jung Yan 1.

They were accompanied by a number of other officials from the CEA and the CCD as well as the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. The Chairman of the CEA has said that the sand mining, which is being carried out 10 kilometres from the shore, was being done in accordance with set environmental guidelines.

CEA representatives have further said that the delegation carefully observed the dredger, the methods used for mining, the transportation of sand to the construction site and the disposal of sand from the site, etc. They have reiterated that every step will be taken to carefully monitor environmental impact, considering the sheer scale of the project.