Police to enforce environment laws more effectively

THE police personnel are to be deployed to play a more effective role than at present in the enforcement of environmental laws and take firm action against offenders and violaters in tackling environmental problems under the powers entrusted to them under the existing laws.

A directive to this effect and the initial guidelines on how the police officers should set about this task were explained to all DIGs, SSPs and SPs and Officers in Charge of Police Stations in the Western Province at a special seminar held on Tuesday (Aug 16) by the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources A. H. M. Fowzie, Secretary Ministry of Public Security, Law and Order and Chairman of the Environmental Authority Tilak Ranaviraja and the Inspector General of Police Chandra Fernando.

The seminar organised by the Central Environmental Authority was intended to educate all senior grades of police officers of the powers vested in them in enforcing environmental laws and the responsibilities under the existing laws as well as provide support to civil officers of other state agencies in tackling environmental problems.

Minister Fowzie, Ranaviraja and the IGP stressed that the damage to mankind through degradation of the environment is much more severe than the harm done through crimes when one considers the health hazards which threaten the lives of all due to environmental pollution.

Therefore the police has a big responsibility to co-operate and take effective action against those who violate environmental laws while acting to curb crime.

Minister of Environment A. H. M. Fowzie said that Sri Lankan people had not been taking the degradation of the environment seriously until recent times when its adverse effects began to be felt by many.

Though belated it was time that all take serious note of this and ensure that we preserve a healthy environment for our future generation to live.

The police, Minister Fowzie said, can play a very effective role in preventing damage to the environment by bringing to book all offenders who flout the environmental laws and take preventive action.

More than the civil officers who are also empowered to take action against offenders it is the police officers in uniform who can enforce the laws more effectively as their vigilance itself would serve as a deterrent.

The necessary powers have been entrusted to the police under the laws. He would therefore make a special appeal to all police officers to exercise the powers vested in them to bring all violaters of environmental laws to book.

The Minister thanking the CEA in moving to get the police involved in tackling environment said that he had recommended to the President the appointment of Tilak Ranaviraja as Chairman of CEA in view of his knowledge of environmental matters and also being the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security he was in a good position to harness the support of the police.

Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, Law and Order and Chairman of the CEA Tilak Ranaviraja said that they thought of getting the police to play a much bigger and effective role in implementation of the environmental laws because the civil officers now implementing the laws was found to be inadequate.

The involvement of the police in uniform would have a greater impact in the enforcement of the laws.

He said that the CEA has drawn up a comprehensive programme to educate all grades of police officers on environmental matters and the powers and responsibilities vested in police officers in enforcing the laws and take preventive action.

Funds for the training programmes will be provided by the CEA. Further, the subject of environment will also be an important aspect to be included in the training programmes of police officers in the future.