New laws soon to protect environment - Champika Ranawaka
by Lalin Fernandopulle
The law enforcing mechanism will be strengthened and new laws will be
introduced to regulate vehicle emission and fuel standards to mitigate
the threat to the environment and health, Environmental and Natural
Resources Minister Champika Ranawaka said.
Champika
Ranawaka |
Dullas
Alahapperuma |
He was addressing the launch of the vehicle emission testing program
'Haritha Riya' by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in
collaboration with the Ministry of Transport at the BMICH on Tuesday.
The Minister said environmental pollution is posing a serious threat
to peoples's health and the country is today ranked as one which has the
highest hospitalisation rates for infectious diseases.
"We have embarked on a new journey to preserve and protect the
environment and there needs to be a vibrant law enforcement body backed
by a national policy to ensure a safer environment," he said.
Ranawaka said the Rs. 20 as 'green levy' to be charged from a
permanent resident with a vehicle is the beginning of a long journey
that the country has embarked upon to minimise the damage to the
environment to ensure a healthy life for all.
"In about 40 years due to the rise in sea levels the country will be
submerged. Speedy measures are vital to minimise pollution and avert a
major catastrophe to the country.
Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said measures to reduce the
internal sound in buses have already been taken up at national level and
laws to reduce external sound will be introduced by mid next year.
The number of vehicles in the country is expected to exceed over 2.5
million while over 250,000 vehicles were registered this year. The
number of vehicles registered last year was 300,000.
The level of pollution through toxic substances could be measured by
the increasing number of vehicles registered daily and those entering
the Colombo city", he said. Over 175,000 vehicles enter the Colombo city
daily.
Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni of the Colombo National Hospital said
environmental regulations are vital because of the nineteen million
population. one-fourths are students whose' schools are in close
proximity to the major roads in the cities.
Transportation accounts for nearly two-thirds of the country's fossil
fuel consumption and is the main reason for air pollution in the cities.
Vehicle emission, burning tyres, refuse material, fossil fuel, lead
recycling and resuspension of road dust are some of the main reasons for
environmental pollution.
Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Badulla and Kurunegala are considered highly
polluted cities in the country.
Though Kandy is considered as one of the best locations in the
country tourists say that the city is highly polluted.
CleanCo Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. and Laugfs Gas will assist in the program.
[email protected]
|
