President orders halt to flora and fauna destruction

Dharma Sri Abeyrtne in Badulla

President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered the relevant officials to take immediate measures to protect wildlife and halt timber rackets. The President was addressing the Badulla District Special Development Committee meeting yesterday at the Provincial Council auditorium.

The President was told by a Provincial Council member that the flora and fauna of the Maduru - Oya sanctuary was under threat since a mega scale timber smuggling racket and wildlife destruction is taking place at the sanctuary.

The President then ordered the Police and wild life officials to form a joint mechanism to protect wild life and the environment.

He stressed that such mechanisms should focus attention on protecting the remaining wild elephants amounting to a mere 6,000.

The President further told the Police to trace suspects who have killed and smuggled tusks of an elephant living in the Maduru Oya sanctuary.

The President said a new system will be implemented from next year to end the teacher shortage in rural schools by implementing a proper teacher transfer procedure.

Accordingly, teachers in National Schools can be transferred to any provincial school and vice versa. “By carrying out such a system, the teacher shortage affecting mostly the rural and underprivileged schools can be sorted out, “he added. With a view to finding out solutions to the teacher shortage , a school based teacher recruitment method was introduced recently. Under this system, teachers are recruited only to a school only when there is a vacancy. The particular teacher should report only to the nominated school. If not, the salary of that particular teacher will be stopped.

President Rajapaksa pointed out the importance of protecting catchment area reservoirs since those areas are used for cultivation. Therefore, he ordered officials not allow any cultivation to be carried out on hilly lands over 5,000 feet above the sea level.

Many politicians and civilians highlighted that a serious environment impact is reported due to pinus cultivation on hill tops.

The President asked Environment Authority officials to obtain a scientific report from the Uva Wellissa University on the environment impact caused by pinus cultivation.

Following the frequent incidents of forest fires, the President ordered to track down the elements who ruin national resources.

Government officials were advised to inform the political authority when utilizing public funds allocated by the Economic Development Ministryt.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said funds have been allocated for 567 development activities in the Badulla district for the current year.

The President observed that it is far better to pay attention to the quality and the completion of development activities rather than seeking publicity from these development activities.