The Hon. Anton Jayakody - Deputy Minister of Environment

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Environment, I provide the answer.

¶ 02 (a) (i) 16 April 2020. (ii) Coastal erosion in Sri Lanka has been a problem for decades, caused both naturally and by human activity. As an island, the highest erosion trends affect the Southern, South-Western and Western, and North-Western coasts. The 2018 Coastal Zone Management Plan identified high-erosion coasts including Ratmalana-Wedikanda, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Kalutara. Following the opening of the natural sand bar at the Kelani River mouth in 2017 for flood control, the sand bar was destroyed and erosion intensified along the northern coast of the river mouth. Although interim solutions were provided, erosion propagated northwards. Therefore, considering the dense populations in Dehiwala and Mount Lavinia and the prevalence of fisheries and tourism, artificial sand nourishment to stabilize these beaches was selected as the most suitable erosion-mitigation method. (iii) Rs. 180 million. (iv) The project has been completed. (v) Not applicable.

¶ 03 (b) Not applicable.