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While environmentalists have warned of legal action if a rare Sri Lankan Legume tree is felled, Wildlife & Forest Conservation Ministry Secretary Bandula Harischandra, says a decision is still pending on the matter.
“A report is expected to be submitted in this regard”, he said, referring to the Legume (Crudia Zeylanica) tree, belonging to the critically endangered plant species, standing at the site of the proposed Central Expressway at Daraluwa.
Officials said that there appears to be differences of opinion between the Environment and Wildlife Ministries on whether the tree, described as a “national treasure”, should stay or go. However, they are expected to make their standpoint known before a final determination is made.
“We will initiate legal action if the tree is removed”, environmentalists cautioned.
A senior environmental scientist said that while the President and the Prime Minister have been briefed, there is cause for concern over ad hoc studies done prior to starting work on the project.
The Sunday Island learns that a report by relevant authorities on the subject was handed over to Wildlife & Forest Conservation Minister, C. B. Ratnayake on Friday.
The environmental study on the proposed construction of the expressway should have focused on the presence of this rare plant species, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.
“We have decided to inquire into this matter to find out those responsible for the lapse”.
The Wildlife Department and the Road Development Authority have been instructed not to take any action to remove the tree until a final decision is reached, he added.
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Gampaha Magistrate Bandula Gunaratne, who sought the initiation of contempt of court proceedings against IGP Piryantha Weerasuriya, over an alleged failure to comply with a court order, has been transferred to the Judges’ Training Institute, with immediate effect.
According to reports, the transfer letter was issued by Judicial Service Commission (JSC) Secretary Prasanna Alwis.
The Magistrate had earlier requested the President of the Court of Appeal to initiate contempt proceedings against the IGP, alleging that he had failed to comply with an order issued by the Magistrate and had thereby undermined the authority of the court.
The order required the IGP to issue a circular to all police officers instructing them not to institute baseless legal proceedings against innocent members of the public.
The Magistrate had sought legal action against the IGP following the alleged failure to comply with the order, maintaining that such non-compliance undermined the authority of the judiciary.
Meanwhile, the IGP had lodged a complaint against Magistrate Gunaratne with the JSC. The Commission subsequently called for the Magistrate’s observations on the complaint.
Reports indicate that Gunaratne submitted his observations to the Commission shortly before the transfer was announced.
The reason for the transfer has not been officially disclosed.
The development comes amid the pending legal issue concerning the alleged non-compliance with the Magistrate’s order and the complaint filed against him before the JSC.
Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday accused the Government of interfering in the legislature by pressuring the Opposition to amend the no-confidence motion submitted against Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne.
Addressing Parliament, Premadasa said the Opposition had been informed that the motion would be taken up for debate only if certain clauses were amended, describing the move as unconstitutional.
He said the Opposition had the right to submit a no-confidence motion and determine its contents, and that the Government had no authority to interfere with the matters contained in it.
Premadasa said the Constitution provides for three branches of government operating under a system of checks and balances, with no-confidence motions being one of the mechanisms available to the legislature.
He also claimed that the Opposition’s parliamentary privileges had been violated under Standing Orders 29(1) and 29(2).
The Opposition Leader said the motion had initially been included in the Parliamentary Order Book, but the Opposition was subsequently instructed, at a party leaders’ meeting, to amend its contents before it could be debated.
He described the move as an attempt by the Executive to undermine the legislature and called for the matter to be reconsidered.
Premadasa also referred to privilege matters raised by himself and Opposition MPs Mano Ganesan, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Mujibur Rahman and Chanaka Madugoda over the rejection of the no-confidence motion, without a debate.
Batticaloa District ITAK MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam yesterday questioned whether billions of rupees allocated by the Treasury for fuel subsidies were providing sufficient relief to consumers, and called for greater transparency in the use of public funds.
Speaking in Parliament, Rasamanickam questioned whether the full benefit of the Rs. 41 billion allocated to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), between April and June, had been passed on to consumers through lower fuel prices.
He noted that the CPC recorded a net profit of Rs. 29.2 billion during the same period and questioned whether the State-owned corporation’s priority should be generating profits or providing affordable fuel.
Rasamanickam also challenged Deputy Minister Kaushalya Ariyarathne’s statement that fuel was being sold below its import cost. He said diesel was imported at Rs. 307 per litre and petrol at Rs. 322 and sought clarification on how these figures compared with retail prices and the fuel pricing formula.
Referring to the Finance Ministry’s Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report, he said the Treasury held Rs. 690.3 billion in cash at the end of June.
He sought details of fuel subsidies provided since January and called for targeted relief for farmers, fishermen and public transport operators, warning that higher diesel prices could increase production and transport costs.
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