Laws should be amended to protect environment – State Minister Godahewa

Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal and Community Cleanliness State Minister Dr. Nalaka Godahewa highlighted the importance of bringing in necessary amendments to the laws to prevent the environment destruction and urged all citizens to join hands to conserve the ocean and coastal resources.

The State Minister was addressing the 6th National Ocean Resources Summit 2020/21 on May 5.

National Ocean Resources Summit 2020/21 under the theme “Ocean-Based Solutions and Policy Frame Works for Enhanced Clinical Action and Blue Economy” was at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel with the participation of Ministry Secretary Sirinimal Perera, Moratuwa University Senior Professor Ajith De Alwis, Ocean Environment Authority Chairperson Attorney-at-Law Darshani Lahandapura, General Manger Dr. P.B.T Pradeep Kumara and several other experts and dignitaries.

State Minister Dr. Godahewa said that oceans belong to the citizens and therefore, citizens have the responsibility to protect them. “Due to lack of attention to this crucial area, there is a serious risk of losing these precious oceans and coastal resources to the future generations. When we use our land as well as ocean resources, we ought to have our future generations in mind, because these resources belong to past, present and future generations. That is why the highest attention has been paid to managing the ocean resources, special laws have been passed and dedicated institutions are set up to conserve the ocean resources.

“We invite all citizens to come forward to safeguard our ocean resources. Today, our beaches are polluted with plastic waste. Where does this waste come from? These polluting is not being done by the people who come to the beaches. More than 70 per cent of the plastic and other waste come through rivers and canals. Therefore, it is necessary to create awareness amongst people living inlands. If we educate them about this aspect, I believe they will refrain from polluting rivers and canals,” the State Minister said.

“That’s why people raise their voice when the environment is threatened. But most of them are not aware of the unintentional damage that they are creating. We must do our best to create awareness and get them all involved in this good cause,” the State Minister said.

The Coastal Resources Conservation Authority has implemented several outstanding programmes to clean the beaches, rivers and canals in partnership with the private sector.

How ocean resources can be used for economic progress while preserving it for future generations must be studied. Let’s preserve our precious coastal and ocean resources with the help of experts and all others concerned. Let’s take a scientific approach to develop our coastal and ocean resources to make use of them for development while deeply committing to preserving them for our future generations,” the State Minister said.

(Source: Daily News)