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Environmental issues: Opposition parties and Veddas to protest today

24 Mar 2021

  • SJB, JVP, UNP and Vedda Chieftain to take part

  Opposition parties, including Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), United National Party (UNP), and the Vedda Chieftain Uruwarige Wannila Aththo are to rally against environmental issues today (24), The Morning learnt. “We have invited all Opposition Parties including the United National Party (UNP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) to participate in this protest and they have all accepted our invitation. Religious leaders and the Vedda Chieftain Uruwarige Wannila Aththo will also take part in this protest,” Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Rohini Kumari Wijeratne Kavirathna told The Morning yesterday (23). She said that the protest would take place at the Vihara Maha Devi Park, Colombo 7 at around 3 p.m. The alleged destruction of the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Dahaiyagala, Knuckles, and the Muthurajawela Wetland will be the key issues the protest would address. “Environmental issues shouldn’t be political issues. We all should work together on these issues. I urge all to forget parties and colours in this situation,” Kavirathna added. According to Kavirathna, among the many environmental issues at present, the most harmful and increasing problems are those concerning deforestation and water and air pollution.  “The return we will get from destroying our environment would be inconceivable,” she said. Kavirathna also noted that the people‘s expectation from the Government was to take legal action against the ones who destroy our environment. “What we experience at the moment is a witch hunt of the people who voice their opinion on environmental issues,” she further added. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday (22) said people should fulfil their responsibility to protect the environment instead of merely talking about it as a trend on social media, noting that it is easier to protect the environment if everyone fulfills their responsibility. The President made this observation while inaugurating the “Surakimu Ganga” river cleaning project on World Water Day which will facilitate cleaning and conserving all the rivers in Sri Lanka by the end of this year.


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