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Pandu Karanda tree removed with Cabinet approval! (Video)

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Cabinet approval had been granted to remove the Pandu Karanda tree ( Crudia Zeylanica) located in Daraluwa, Veyangoda and was in the centre of a controversy as it stood in the way of the Central Expressway project, Transport and Highways Minister Bandula Gunawardena said today (11).

The tree was removed yesterday (10) despite campaigns by environmentalists earlier.

Minister Gunawardena said if they were to change the route of the expressway – Kadawatha – Mirigama section, it would have cost Rs 15 billion more.

He said he had done an indepth study and he received reports that 12 other trees which are over 40 years old as well as 25 trees with a height of 12 – 15 feet have been found in this area.

He also added that a programme is in place to grow 200 such plants instead of the tree that was felled.

After presenting these details to the Cabinet, approval was granted to remove it, the minister said.

The species, known as the Sri Lanka Legume (Crudia zelanica) has been listed as a Critically Endangered species in the National Red Data List published by the Ministry of Environment in 2021, environmentalists point out.

In a Facebook post, prominent environmentalist – Mr. Sajeewa Chamikara has stated that the Minister as well as officials of the Road Development Authority should be directly held responsible for the illegal felling of this tree.

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Korean SME Association offers support to SL

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The Korean Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Association has expressed its commitment to support Sri Lanka in advancing the agriculture sector and enhancing related employment opportunities.

Additionally, the association has agreed to provide technical assistance and training resources essential for the development of the fishing industry.

These topics were highlighted during a meeting held today (13) at the Presidential Secretariat between a delegation from the Korean SME Association and officials from the President’s Office.

The discussions also focused on training Sri Lankan workers locally for Korea’s fishing industry and creating employment opportunities for them.

The delegation was led by Kim Chung Ryong, President  of the Korean SME Association.

(President’s Media Division)

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US embassy lifts travel restrictions issued for Arugam Bay

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The US Embassy Colombo has lifted travel restrictions issued on October 23, 2024, for Arugam Bay. 

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Pilot project to issue e-BMD certificates to Lankans overseas

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The government has announced a new initiative to issue copies of birth, marriage, and death certificates to Sri Lankans living abroad through Sri Lankan embassies, aimed at providing greater convenience to the expatriate community.

The program will be launched as a pilot project across seven selected foreign missions, including the embassies in Kuwait, Japan, and Qatar, and the consulates in Melbourne (Australia), Toronto (Canada), Milan (Italy), and Dubai (UAE).

In Sri Lanka, efforts are underway to enhance the e-BMD (electronic Birth, Marriage, and Death) database system, which is jointly managed by the Registrar General’s Department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This will allow birth, marriage, and death certificates to be issued through foreign embassies, following a model already in place for obtaining certificates at Divisional Secretariat offices across Sri Lanka.

In the initial phase, only the approximately 45 million birth, marriage, and death certificates that have already been scanned and stored in the e-BMD system will be issued.

These will include records for births, marriages, and deaths that have been registered since January 1, 1960. While the majority of these records will be available, there may be occasional delays in updating certificates that have been revised after their initial entry into the database.

(President’s Media Division)

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