Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2015-12-23

Promoting conservation of Bio-Diversity in environmentally sensitive land tracts and maintenance of services of Ecosystems

- 'The Project to Promote Conservation of Bio-diversity in Environmentally Sensitive Land Tracts in Sri Lanka and Maintenance of Services of Ecosystems' was granted to Sri Lanka by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the main objective of the said project is to declare environmentally sensitive land tracts as a mechanism to ensure that the development activities implemented in the areas of high environmental importance, in a manner that conserves bio-diversity and the services of ecosystems and to identify two pilot areas for establishing and maintaining such mechanism. Accordingly, the proposal made by H.E. the President, Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, to implement this project in the following pilot areas, within a period of 5 years, utilizing the grant of US$ 2.62 million, was approved by the Cabinet:

* The environmentally sensitive land tract in Kalawewa - Ipalogama, Palagala, Kekirawa and Galnewa Divisional Secretariat Divisions in the Anuradhapura District.

* The environmentally sensitive land tract in Wilpattu - Wanathavilluwa Divisional Secretariat Division in the Puttalam District.