Gov. aims to increase country’s forest cover to 35 per cent

By Saman Idrajith

The government aimed to increase the country’s forest density to 35%, Minister of Wildlife and Forest Conservation C.B. Ratnayake told parliament on Tuesday (20).

 Responding to a question raised by Kurunegala District MP Shantha Bandara, Minister Ratnayake said that forests contributed immensely for the protection of the ecosystem of Sri Lanka.

Minister Ratnayake said the forest density of the country was at 29% at the moment. A programme designed to reforest 65,400 hectares of land in order to reach the target of 35% percentage forest cover, the Minister said.

 MP Shantha Bandara: “We know that the forest density of our country is decreasing by the year. In many countries in the world, they are demands to create oxygen artificially. Since there are some major road development projects taking place in the country, I would like to propose that the Wildlife and Forest Conservation Ministry together with the Road Development Authority to organize a program where trees could be planted by the side of all these newly built roads. I think it is a timely project.”

 Minister Ratnayake:

“We have already commenced a similar project. We are working together with Samurdhi Authority and Divisional Secretariats for that.”

 MP Shantha Bandara also quarried about the land ownership of certain sensitive areas in relation to the land acquisition for the central expressway in Kurunegala district. Minister Ratnayake said the Ministry would look into the matter.