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| Sunday, 17 October 2004 |
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Top priority for tree-planting by Rohan Mathes Urban Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena stressed the need of giving top priority to taking-care and post-evaluation of 'Tree-planting' projects undertaken by various organisations at heavy expenditure. Minister Gunawardena participating at the tree planting project at the Serpentine Canal bund, to inaugurate the canal restoration which coincided with the 'National Tree Planting Day' last Friday said that no survey had ever been made to date by State institutions engaged in such tasks, to ascertain the well-being or even the existence of the trees which had been planted by them in the past, incurring heavy expenditure. He said that if there had been a proper assessment of such projects, there would have been huge trees providing shelter for us now. He explained that the aim of planting trees was to grow a canopy of green foliage that would aid the provision of a healthy environment, protection of the water resources, prevention of soil erosion and the protection of the earth's sustenance. During the last 100 years, the country's forest cover had been reduced by 32 per cent and destruction was taking place in a big scale even today. Minister Gunawardena when contacted yesterday by the 'Sunday Observer' said, "the urban trees and forests are a necessity today to purify the polluted environment of the cities and provide pure and clean air for the people to breathe. The Land Reclamation Corporation together with my ministry plans to go ahead with the project of planting trees by the banks of all canals in the city of Colombo and suburbs. He said that the 'Tamil Union' SC had volunteered to manage and look after the vast Wanathamulla Surpentine area. |
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