Development programmes target all areas - Minister
Green Village programme launched:
Chamikara WEERASINGHE
The Government’s development schemes are envisioned to develop the
entire country, and are not restricted to develop Kollupitiya alone,
Environment Minister Champika Ranawaka said.
He was speaking when the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry
officially launched its Green Village programme (Haritha Gammana) to go
side by side with Gama Neguma (Village development) Programme.
The programme was ceremonially launched at the Ministry with Senior
Presidential adviser and MP Basil Rajapaksa and Minister Ranawaka
jointly opening the name plaque of the programme.Trade and Consumer
Affairs Minister Bandula Gunawardena was also present.
Haritha Gammana is a programme listed in the Mahinda Chinthana. The
Government will focus on developing areas like Embilipitiya and other
village areas to ensure that the benefits of development activities also
reach the masses in villages,” Ranawaka said.
He said the Green Village programme is expected to initiate a footing
towards addressing issues linked with the country’s fuel crisis as it
will pave the way for the use of natural energy resources in the
environment such as the wind and firewood.
“Haritha Gammana is also aimed at promoting a simple way of life to
be followed by the masses,to face environmental challenges ahead of
time, he pointed out.
Senior Presidential adviser Basil Rajapaksa said Green villages
should be established in the country’s 14,048 Grama Seva divisions in
36,000 villages.
If the programme should become a success, we would be able to see
butterflies in the mountains and rabbits nibbling undupiyaliya grass on
the places in time to come,” he said.
Extending his fullest support to the programme, Rajapaksa said once
each household starts functioning as an environmentally-friendly unit,
one can expect that there will be green villages.
He said modern technologies will be used as it may seem necessary in
the programme to acquire speedy results. |
