Govt. committed to protect natural resources: President

Friday, 3 April 2015 00:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The current Government is committed to protect the natural resources of the country and to hand over a corrupt-free and law abiding society to the future generation, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena asserted on Wednesday. Addressing a ceremony held at the State Timber Corporation in Battaramulla to mark the 47th anniversary of the Corporation, the President said the people in this country on 8 January this year ended the era in which a massive environmental degradation had taken place. He noted that Sri Lanka’s national forest resources had been depleted as a result of certain politicians of the previous regime extending state patronage to destroy forests for timber and constructing roads and other facilities. At the ceremony the President recognised 47 employees who have completed more than 30 years of service presenting them with gold medals. The State Timber Corporation comes under the President’s purview in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment. Deputy Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment Wasantha Aluwihare and Secretary to the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment Nihal Rupasinghe were also present at the occasion.