Topic
Environment
980 speeches · 242 speakers
Party share
By the speaker's party · counts only, no scoring. "Unattributed" = speeches not resolved to an MP.
Most active on this topic
| # | Member | Speeches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hon. (Dr.) Dammika Patabendi, M.P. JJB | 78 |
| 2 | Hon. Kumara Jayakody, M.P. JJB | 48 |
| 3 | Hon. Sajith Premadasa, M.P. SJB | 41 |
| 4 | Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, M.P. NDF | 28 |
| 5 | Hon. Anton Jayakody, M.P. JJB | 28 |
| 6 | Hon. Ajith P. Perera, M.P. SJB | 22 |
| 7 | Hon. Hector Appuhamy, M.P. SJB | 19 |
| 8 | Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran, M.P. ITAK | 15 |
| 9 | Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, M.P. JJB | 14 |
| 10 | Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe, M.P. JJB | 13 |
Speeches
980 on this topic- 11 July 2025 The Hon. Sudath Balagalla JJB AI summary Hon. Sudath Balagalla supported the motion while urging a scientific and practical approach to managing wildlife–livestock interactions, noting that cattle grazing in areas such as Maduru Oya can reduce elephant fodder and increase village incursions. He said State livestock farms, including Girandurukotte, should be revitalized through investment, expanded herds, processing facilities, smallholder sheds, and fodder plots. He also stated that MILCO had been returned to profitability within several months and called for implementation without political point-scoring. Private Members' Motion No. 3: Livestock Sector Enhancement Read →
- 11 July 2025 The Hon. Rohana Bandara AI summary Hon. Rohana Bandara seconded the motion and argued that the livestock sector can reduce unemployment and improve nutrition, but dairy farmers face setbacks from COVID-era disruptions, pricing issues, rejected milk collection, fodder shortages, and restrictions linked to protected areas. He called for coordination among Wildlife, Forest, and Livestock authorities to protect traditional dairy livelihoods, especially where grazing lands and animal recovery are affected by sanctuary boundaries, and cautioned that importing cattle without management support is ineffective. He also raised a local eviction issue affecting a dairy shed operator in Anuradhapura and proposed organizing kurakkan producers in the North Central Province into cooperatives to stabilize prices and prevent exploitation. Private Members' Motion No. 3: Livestock Sector Enhancement Read →
- 9 July 2025 The Hon. Ramalingam Chandrasekar — Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources AI summary The Minister tabled data on fish production, export earnings and import expenditure for 2015 to the first quarter of 2025. He outlined measures to increase fish stocks and catches, including artificial reef deployments, an FAO-assisted deep-sea longline pilot, inland stocking of fish and prawn fingerlings, provision of offshore stock data to fishers, and installation of barrier nets to prevent fish losses from tanks during heavy rains. He also stated that monthly stocking of 100–120 tanks a year began in 2025, with plans to raise inland harvests by about 20,000 metric tons annually, expand fingerling production through three new hatcheries, and promote value addition programmes prioritizing women in fishing families. Oral Question: Fish Catch, Import and Export (Q.637/2025) Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Mayilvaganam Jegatheeswaran JJB AI summary Mayilvaganam Jegatheeswaran addressed illegal forest clearing at Nedunkeni/Vedi-vaiththakal in the Mahaweli “L” Zone, stating that about 40 acres had been cleared without permission from the Forest Department or any state agency. He said he had inspected the site with local representatives, the public, and police, submitted a field report to the relevant Ministers, and that “A” reports had been filed in court against suspects. He indicated investigations and legal action were underway, while declining to name a suspect because the matter was before court. Debate: Imports and Exports (Control) Act - Salt Import Regulations (Gazette No. 2437/04) Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan DTNA AI summary Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan raised concerns over alleged land appropriation in the North, citing forest clearance under the Mahaweli scheme in Vavuniya, police fencing near Omanthai, military-held civilian lands, and secret land surveys that had prompted public protests. He argued that such actions, even when described as development, undermine public trust and threaten community existence, and urged the Government to act on the President’s pledge to release civilian lands held by the military. He also noted local opposition in Mannar to wind power projects and sand mining where he said drilling and soil removal occurred without informing residents. He cautioned against anti-India rhetoric in relation to India–Sri Lanka security MoUs and called for balanced foreign relations. Debate: Imports and Exports (Control) Act - Salt Import Regulations (Gazette No. 2437/04) Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB AI summary The Leader of the Opposition objected to the planned 18 percent VAT on digital services from 10 October, citing the Gazette’s coverage of services such as cloud computing, e-commerce, digital marketing, software, cybersecurity, streaming and social media platforms. He argued that the measure, which he described as an IMF condition, would affect youth, rural and middle-income livelihoods, and called for its immediate withdrawal. He also raised the case of the injured elephant “Bhatia” in Nikaweratiya and urged the Government to develop a structured short-, medium- and long-term wildlife emergency response programme, with international assistance where needed, rather than relying on ad hoc interventions. Debate: Imports and Exports (Control) Act - Salt Import Regulations (Gazette No. 2437/04) Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Kumara Jayakody JJB AI summary Kumara Jayakody argued that solar generation and oil-based generation should not be treated as directly comparable because they operate at different times of day. He stated that solar curtailment of up to about 1,500 MW on sunny days is not a system-wide problem and that existing calculations should reflect the approximately 1,300 MW of solar already absorbed during daytime. Leader of Opposition Question Period and Points of Order Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Ravi Karunanayake argued that renewable energy tariffs, even with battery storage, are cheaper than oil-based power and LNG when capacity charges and fuel imports are considered. He criticized the discouragement of rooftop solar after the Panadura incident while emergency power purchase agreements continue, and said current tax relief for renewable investments is negligible against actual capital costs. He urged the Government to prioritize domestic renewable resources, provide adequate battery concessions, and explain why oil-based generation appears to be preferred over renewables. Leader of Opposition Question Period and Points of Order Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha JJB AI summary Dr. Anil Jayantha stated that the Government has not introduced new taxes or removed concessions specifically for lithium-ion batteries, noting that general levies such as VAT, Customs Duty, PAL and SSCL apply, while existing exemptions remain for batteries used in grid-connected large-scale renewable energy storage. He said the 15 per cent duty waiver, non-application of CESS and PAL relief are available under existing schedules where eligible use is confirmed. He also said electricity costs are central to industrialisation and growth, and that tariff reviews for solar projects should address issues such as WACC and inflation while prioritising least-cost, reliable power and reducing tariffs over time. Leader of Opposition Question Period and Points of Order Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Ravi Karunanayake questioned the Government on the Ceylon Electricity Board’s reduction of feed-in tariff rates for solar and wind projects, arguing that the changes undermine investor confidence, bank financing, and Sri Lanka’s stated target of 70 per cent renewable electricity by 2030. He asked whether the tariff changes and Electricity Act amendments are consistent with that policy, what reasons justified the reductions, and whether stakeholders were consulted on project viability, lending risks, energy security, climate goals, and fuel import costs. He also urged the Government to consider a transparent and stable pricing formula and to restore tax concessions for lithium-ion batteries and other storage technologies, stating that current costs make renewable projects non-viable at the CEB’s rate. Leader of Opposition Question Period and Points of Order Read →
- 20 June 2025 The Hon. Kins Nelson SJB AI summary Kins Nelson asked the Minister of Energy to state when Cabinet directed the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to explore establishing a new refinery in Trincomalee with an investor instead of upgrading Sapugaskanda. He also requested details of measures already taken and future plans for constructing the proposed Trincomalee refinery, or reasons if the information could not be provided. Oral Question: Ceylon Petroleum Corporation - New Refinery in Trincomalee (Q.Unspecified/2024) Read →
- 19 June 2025 The Hon. Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran ITAK AI summary Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran addressed the Adjournment Debate on the dairy cow import audit and COPE Report, highlighting inadequate domestic milk production, unallocated grazing lands in Ampara, and losses caused by earlier imports of poor-quality cattle. He urged the Government to assess the economic impact of the Iran-Israel conflict, assist efforts to end the war, and establish a mechanism to return or compensate jewellery pledged by Tamils in LTTE-controlled areas before 2009. He also questioned what investments and employment had been provided to the North and East since the Government took office, and called for non-discriminatory coastal protection measures in Ampara and Batticaloa, warning that selective groyne construction and proposed ilmenite mining could worsen sea erosion. Adjournment Debate: Special Audit Report on Advance Payment for Import of 15,000 Dairy Cattle and COPE Report on National Gem and Jewellery Authority Read →
- 19 June 2025 The Hon. Anton Jayakody JJB AI summary Anton Jayakody said the Pekkulama tank and bund, damaged by storms and floods around 1978, remain unrepaired despite a later foundation stone, and noted that he and the Minister had visited the site and planned discussions with the Wildlife Department. He proposed a collective decision on remedial action and called for a field visit to examine legal issues concerning state and other lands around Bakamuna town, with the aim of using existing locations where possible and resolving land matters pragmatically. Oral Question: Wild Elephant Conservation and Red Data Book Read →
- 19 June 2025 The Hon. Sunil Rathnasiri JJB AI summary Hon. Sunil Rathnasiri thanked the Minister for using the President’s Fund to assist children affected by elephant attacks. He raised concerns that public and private institutions continue to operate within the Alahera-Girithale sanctuary despite its declaration in 2000, and questioned why the Wildlife Department is blocking the funded Digavela anicut, under 100 metres in length, when it would help water-scarce long-standing farmers at Pekkulama and the much larger Alahera Maha Ela project is proceeding. Oral Question: Wild Elephant Conservation and Red Data Book Read →
- 19 June 2025 The Hon. Anton Jayakody JJB AI summary Anton Jayakody said the Government has introduced support from 1 January 2025 for the education of children when a household head dies in an elephant attack, with compensation administered through Divisional and District Secretariats. He said the Government would consider issuing the Red Data Book annually and outlined ongoing human-elephant conflict mitigation measures, including improving forest forage and water sources, maintaining habitats, expanding electric fencing, and regularizing over 3,500 workers to maintain fences. Oral Question: Wild Elephant Conservation and Red Data Book Read →
- 19 June 2025 The Hon. Sunil Rathnasiri JJB AI summary Hon. Sunil Rathnasiri stated that the Red Data Book should be issued annually in line with global practice to guide conservation priorities. He asked, as a supplementary question, whether steps would be taken to publish it every year. Oral Question: Wild Elephant Conservation and Red Data Book Read →
- 19 June 2025 The Hon. Anton Jayakody - Deputy Minister of Environment JJB AI summary On behalf of the Minister of Environment, the Deputy Minister stated that the 2011 census recorded 5,879 wild elephants and that the 2012 Red Data Book classified the Sri Lankan elephant as “Threatened,” with relevant documents placed in the Library. He reported that in 2024 human-elephant conflict caused 388 elephant deaths and 155 human deaths, and that Rs. 358.63 million was paid in compensation for human deaths and property damage. Oral Question: Wild Elephant Conservation and Red Data Book Read →
- 17 June 2025 The Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan DTNA AI summary Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan welcomed the regulations under the Convention against Doping in Sport Act and urged merit-based, non-political sports governance with greater opportunities and facilities for youth in the North and East, particularly in Mannar, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu and surrounding areas. He called for immediate action on long-delayed sports grounds and complexes, including Mullaitivu, Naruvilikulam, Pallimunai and Emilnagar, requested an investigation into alleged irregularities in the Emilnagar ground project, and asked the Minister to address inactive football league administration and court-ignored federation issues. He also raised concern over the renewed Chemmani mass grave excavations, citing earlier findings and the Krishanthi Kumaraswamy case, and demanded proper excavation and investigation to establish the truth. Debate: Convention Against Doping in Sports Regulations Read →
- 17 June 2025 Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake argued that Sri Lanka should support locally produced renewable energy, including battery storage, as a cheaper alternative to oil-based power generation. He questioned why paying local entrepreneurs Rs. 25–30 per unit for renewable electricity is seen as problematic when oil-based electricity costs Rs. 70–100 per unit, and linked the proposal to economic and GDP benefits. He referenced IMF representatives’ advice to “think outside the box” as support for such an approach. Procedural: Israel-Iran Conflict Discussion and Ministerial Statement on Energy Read →
- 17 June 2025 Hon. Kumara Jayakody JJB AI summary Hon. Kumara Jayakody rejected the Opposition’s claim that the Government is positioning petroleum-based power against renewable energy. He stated that renewables would not be reduced in favour of petroleum generation and that alternatives would be pursued if oil were unavailable. Procedural: Israel-Iran Conflict Discussion and Ministerial Statement on Energy Read →