Hambantota sand dunes development project gets under way

A project to reconstruct the natural sand dunes complex at the Hambantota coastal area damaged by the tsunami was inaugurated on August 22.

Special attention was drawn that tsunami waves into the inner parts of the country through those areas had been avoided due to the natural sand dunes at coastal areas in Hambantota. State attention has been drawn to reconstruct and preserve these naturally made sand dunes.

It has also been planned to have a system of species endemic to each place in an area of 20 to 50 meters. in the identified coastal areas and to develop the mangrove vegetation near lagoons, under the project. It is anticipated that coastal communities will be able to manage tsunami disaster successfully in the future.

Funds for this project is provided by Shell Gas Lanka Company. Project will be administered by the Federation of Wildlife Conservation (FWC) and the Department of Coast Conservation. Transport for the project is sponsored by Toyota Lanka Company.

A double cab vehicle for this project was handed over by Toyota Lanka Managing Director Nobuhiko Kato to Professor Tissa R. Herat FWC Director General.

From right Kato, Professor Herat Executive Director - FWC Nishantha Bandara Jayatilake, Krishanthi Nagarajasekaran (Programme Co-ordinator - FWC), Neranjan De Silva (Assistant Manager Adminstration - Toyota Lanka (Pvt) Ltd) and Janak Badugama (Assistant Marketing Manager - Toyota Lanka (Pvt) Ltd).