President vows to protect environment, denies claims of destruction

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa launching the Surakimu Gang’ programme to protect 103 rivers in the country on Monday (22) vowed to protect the waterways and said that falsehood was being spread that he was destructing the environment.

The national programme was launched from Kataragama linked to the Menik Ganga,  but similar progrmmes were held in other provinces.

Under the programme, measures are to be taken to protect the rivers by preventing garbage being dumped into the rivers.

President Rajapaksa said that social media was carrying falsehoods project that the environment was under threat under his government, but in contrast it was during his period as secretary to the Urban Development Ministry during the previous government from 2010 to 2015 that measures were taken to protect the environment, particularly in Colombo.

He said people try to show they are protecting the environment as a fashion, but should be actually in progrmmes to protect the environment.

He said the people in Colombo should remember how garbage heaps in the city were cleaned up and how the town underwent a beautification programme.

President Rajapaksa said that due to sustainable projects the work done in the city still remains.

“Unauhorised structures and bunkers put up for security reasons were pulled down. We took measures to remove them and create a green city during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s regime”, he ssaid.

He said the green city was created by planting a large number of trees in Colombo as well as in Kotte.  “We made lakes as flood retention areas to prevent flooding”.

President Rajapaksa said that the area around the Independence square was developed.

He said protecting environment is sustainable environmental development and that was the objectives of state authorities.

He said even for the Sinharaja there is a development project underway.

The President said that protection of environment is the protection of human beings.

(Pix by Presidential Media Division)