In two months:

Over 10,000 environment polluters brought to book

Disna MUDALIGE

Over 10,000 cases were filed in courts during last two months by the Environment Police Units (EPU) against those who engaged in harmful activities to the environment.

They were involved in illegal gem mining, sand transportation, garbage dumping, illegal forest clearing, maintaining fly and mosquito breeding places, destroying corals, noise and air pollution etc. The government earned millions of rupees as direct fines from them. This was revealed by DIG Anura Senanayake at an awareness program for EPU police personnel held at the Central Environment Authority (CEA) yesterday. He said that bringing to book large scale environment polluters without fear or favor should be the target of Environment Police Units.

He requested the police officials to inform about such interventions from external agencies or actors in operating the law against Environmental polluters.

“This unit was established by the Defence Secretary with the aim of halting large scale environmental destruction in the country.

This is what the government and the Minister expects from us. Sometimes, an ordinary man transporting sand for a small construction at home is punished, where as large scale sand miners escape. This should not happen.

There are critics who always try to obstruct this process. Such incidents may provide them opportunities to criticize us.

We must provide our service for the betterment of society, and people should feel these are done for their well-being,” he said.

He said that the raids must be conducted very carefully respecting the legal framework.

There are occasions where the officers face uneasy situations when conducting raids due to lack of legal provisions, he said.

“One obstacle in carrying out our tasks is the lack of legal provisions to act against environmental harmful activities. Only CEA has the power to work in this regard. Therefore, the coordination of Police Divisional Directors with the CEA is necessary” he said. He further said that as a result of taking measures within a month to clean the drainage system in Colombo, the city did not get inundated as a result of recent showers.