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Wildlife Dept to felicitate long serving employees

by Florence Wickramage

For the first time in its 54 year old history, the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC) will today felicitate its staff who have completed 25 years service with Silver Awards.

The release of the cassette Vananthare will also take place during the felicitation ceremony at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute where Environment and Natural Resources Minister Rukman Senanayake will be the chief guest.

No felicitation ceremonies had been arranged earlier despite provisions being made by Special Gazette dated October 25, 1991, to obtain funds from the Wildlife Fund to felicitate department staff.

At today's felicitation ceremony 37 DWLC officers will be honoured among whom are four members who had retired from the service of the department, Wildlife Range officer C. Kumarasiri who sacrificed his life for the cause of wildlife conservation and two others. Thirty officers in service will be honoured. These recipients have been selected from the highest to the lowest ranks of the Department.

Minister Senanayake had instructed the DWLC to hold felicitation ceremonies to appreciate the services by wildlife officers and also as a source of inspiration to others. DWLC Director General H.M.B.C. Herath had decided to organise felicitation ceremonies every three years.

The CD and cassette Vananthare to be launched by Senanayake will project the scenic beauty of the jungles as well as impart the message of compassion towards innocent animals who cannot voice their grievances. It is hoped that the songs in this cassette and CD will help wean away people from the consumption of game-meat and cruelty to animals.

The CD and cassette is a joint conservation effort by the DWLC and Independent Television Network. Financial sponsorship towards this effort has been borne by Jayantha Abeygunaratne and Siri Abeygunaratne, Directors of George Gunaratne Opticians. Monies obtained from the sale of the cassette and CD will be channelled to the Wildlife Fund to be utilised for the maintenance of baby elephants at the Uda Walawe Ath Athuru Sevana (Elephant Transit Home).

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