President instructs IGP:

Curb illegal timber trade, sand mining

Chaminda PERERA in Ratnapura

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday gave instructions to the IGP to curb the illegal timber trade and sand mining operations in the Sabaragamuwa Province.

The President was addressing the Government officials and the politicians at the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council yesterday. He reviewed the progress of development activities being implemented in the Sabaragamuwa Province at this meeting.

He added that he received a number of complaints that the people who indulge in illegal timber trading and sand mining operations on large scale go scot free.

President Rajapaksa was of the opinion that the law enforcement authorities should take stern action against this type of activities which will make tremendous impact on the environment and the future generation. He said the practice of the Police Department to produce a person who mines a basket of sand illegally before court while the mass scale sand miners are at large, should end. "All those who engage in illegal activities should be brought to book," he added.

The President ordered IGP Mahinda Balasuriya that necessary instructions be issued to the Police stations in the province in order to take stern action to arrest the illegal timber and sand mining activities.

A Pradeshiya Sabha member stated at the meeting that a number of trees in a Forest Reserve have been marked to be cut by a timber dealer. The President directed LRC Chairman Hariguptha Rohanadeera to look into the issue and take stern action against the timber dealer.

He sought a list of roads and bridges that need to be developed urgently. The officials and the political authority in the province should prepare a list of roads and bridges to be repaired or developed on a priority basis," he added.

He opined that the development projects being implemented at village, district and provincial levels should comply with the Government Policy - Mahinda Chinthanaya.

The President pinpointed a number of road development projects in the Province that have not yet been completed by the authorities.

He gave instructions to the RDA and provincial authorities to expedite these projects soon.

The President added that he would bring in new regulations to prohibit the erection of buildings in public and school playgrounds except pavilions through Sports Ministry.

"There are reports that public and school playgrounds are shrinking due to the construction of buildings in the land area demarcated for the purpose of sports," he added.

He requested the officials and the politicians at district level not to initiate development projects if necessary funds are not available.

He said a number of projects in the Sabaragamuwa province have been abandoned due to lack of funds.

The politicians and the officials lay foundation stones for projects without finding proper funding sources, he added.

Representatives of Local Government Authorities, Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council and Ministry Secretaries led by Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga were present. Parliamentarians and Ministers representing the province also participated.