The Hon. Darmapriya Wijesinghe (on behalf of the Hon. Ajith Gihan)

¶ 01 asked the Minister of Environment:

¶ 02 (a) Will he inform this House - (i) whether he is aware that a massive environmental destruction is taking place in Puttalam District due to excavation of sand, gravel, soil and tanks carried out under legal licences without keeping a proper standard; (ii) whether a methodology will be formulated to regulate such excavations; (iii) whether a new methodology has been introduced for excavation of sand, gravel, soil and tanks and for issuing transport licences for same; and (iv) if so, that methodology? (b) Will he also inform this House - (i) the intervention of the Provincial Environmental Authority of the North-western Province in a situation where a massive environmental destruction is happening in the North-western Province; (ii) the responsibility of that Authority; and (iii) whether there is a need to further keep the Provincial Environmental Authority of the North-western Province in operation? (c) If not, why?