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Sri Lanka: new measures against deforestation

A ban on chainsaw imports and new sawmills. These are the new measures that the President of Sri Lanka has decided to take in an effort to protect the country's forests.

To fight deforestation, the Sri Lankan president forbids the import of chainsaws

Chainsaw imports and new sawmills have been banned in Sri Lanka to halt the mass deforestation affecting the country. President Maithripala Sirisena has just announced the adoption of these measures.

Every year, the forest in Sri Lanka shrinks by about 1.5%. The excessive exploitation of wood threatens biodiversity and affects water resources. The current president has made fighting this problem a priority. In early 2019, to fight this trafficking, officials required users of chainsaws to declare them to the police. The result: 82,000 reported in 3 weeks.

Now, the government has banned the import of new chainsaws without specifying whether the ones already in the country would be affected. In another development, sawmill owners will receive help to switch to a new trade. At the same time, the country encourages the planting of forests. The goal is to increase Sri Lanka’s forest cover by 14%.

06/13/2019 10:22 AMupdated: 06/13/2019 4:19 PM
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33 comments

  • Chaminda K.
    06/30/2019 16:21

    ඕකට පිස්සු. හෙට අනිද්දට කියයි මැෂින් ගෙනාවට කමක් නෑ පැල ඉන්දන උන් හිරේ දාන්න ඕන කියලා. එහෙව් ඩයල් එක....

  • Ritin K.
    06/30/2019 06:37

    Should implement in fiji too

  • Sudi A.
    06/25/2019 01:44

    Akhirnya cuaca ndak karuan2.. banjir bandang menghancurkan semuanya..banjir ber-hari2.. kerugian negara jauh dari keuntungannya..

  • Kaca P.
    06/24/2019 12:19

    Bagus

  • Purushottam K.
    06/22/2019 05:40

    Great job

  • Rahul C.
    06/21/2019 21:52

    Better take all SriLankans from Fiji and teach them how to planting if trees rather eating our share of money here.everything wants to do cost cutting but can't do in Deya country so cmng here and beg for jobs.why can't they stay in Lanka and save there own country rather than spoiling others country

  • Balaram B.
    06/21/2019 09:05

    Modern people

  • Shane W.
    06/20/2019 19:22

    What about the people who did all those destruction with the knowledge and permission of so called president? Why don't he do something to take legal actions for them? I don't see this as the solution for the problem because the virus is still free and can do more destruction.

  • Nimal P.
    06/20/2019 06:31

    This should have been done decades ago. It's better late than never. Good decision though late.

  • ALi Y.
    06/19/2019 23:06

    Free

  • Adulhamid H.
    06/19/2019 19:22

    That's what Nigeria is suppose to adopt

  • Wasantha A.
    06/19/2019 04:38

    But without re foresting!

  • Kawooya J.
    06/17/2019 07:50

    Mr President your right keep that spirit

  • Chamith M.
    06/16/2019 12:42

    why sri Lankan president didn't see when while was wilpathu distroing,, he is a funny guy make all sri Lankan laugh,, sri Lankan MY3🤡🏜🏜

  • Sameera R.
    06/16/2019 11:41

    බලපංකො මේ යකා ලෝකෙම රවට්ටල තියන විදිය. මේ වීඩියෝ එක දාපු එකා මෙහෙ ඇත්ත තත්වෙ දන්නවනම් බයිල් ගහේ ඉඳන් කපාගන්නවා යකෝ.

  • Rahula G.
    06/15/2019 17:21

    Seems like biggest issue with deforestation is state sponsored irrigation and resettlement schemes. A ban/restrictions on chain saws and complete ban on mobile saw mills will help curb deforestation.. https://www.facebook.com/858519893/posts/10157310702669894?s=556105035&sfns=mon

  • Andi N.
    06/15/2019 10:10

    Mantap

  • Sameera B.
    06/14/2019 13:04

    මුගේ බොරු අරහේ විල්පත්තුව කපනවා බොරුවට මේවා තහනම් කරනවා.

  • Patrice G.
    06/14/2019 11:30

    Forests precede peoples, deserts follow them! François-René De Chateaubriand

  • Joseph M.
    06/14/2019 10:33

    Bah