Furniture transport laws relaxed

Disna MUDALIGE

The Forest Conservation Ordinance has been amended to relax laws pertaining to the transportation of wooden furniture and sawn timber with immediate effect following Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa's intervention.

Transport permits for wooden furniture and sawn timber have been cancelled in Urban and Municipal Councils and selected Pradeshiya Sabhas across the island, a ministry spokesman said. He said this has been initiated to prevent the public from being inconvenienced when transporting wooden furniture from one household to another or sawn timber to be used for constructions.

The spokesman said the relaxation of laws had been done avoiding Pradeshiya Sabhas which contain forest areas to prevent illegally felled wood being transported from forests. He said laws pertaining to these forest areas would remain strictly as before.

The relaxation of laws also apply only to selected varieties of timber including ginisapu and furniture made of ginisapu, commonly used in furniture making. He said the minister signed the gazette notification in this regard yesterday. The gazette notification is to be published on Friday.

The amendments do not cover wood varieties such as ebony, kalumediriya, nedun, sandalwood and satinwood.