President tells police:

Raid illegal sand mining

President Maithripala Sirisena has instructed a special police team to be deployed directly under the IGP to raid illegal mining across the country which harms the environment.

The President, as Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, gave these instructions while presiding over the progress review meeting of the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) at the GSMB auditorium on Friday.

During the meeting attention was drawn to set up an institution overseen by marine bodies.

The President stressed the importance of providing assistance without delay to successfully implement development projects.

President Sirisena also joined in a session to seek opinions and suggestions from the staff of the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau.

“A great responsibility lies with the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau to protect the earth and the environment as they have the right to do so,” the President said.

Chairman of the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, Kithsiri Dissanayake, Acting Director General Sajjana De Silva and officials of the GSMB participated in the meeting.

- news.lk