The Ministry of Environment has recruited 136 new Environmental Officers. Appointment letters to 21 of them were handed over on January 11 at the Central Environmental Authority.
Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Environment, Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry, Siripala Amarasinghe, Chairman of the Central Environmental Authority and Hemantha Jayasinghe, Director General were also present at the occasion.
All these Environmental Officers recruited by the Ministry of Environment will be attached to the District Secretariats and they should assist in the work being done by the Ministry of Environment, the Central Environmental Authority and the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau.
The Minister who addressed the gathering-
The Ministry of Environment has organized a number of activities in the year 2022. In particular, steps were taken to implement a number of projects throughout the island under the Surakimu Ganga program. We also have a great responsibility to support the government’s development projects while protecting the environment.
Also, some people destroy the environment for their personal gain. We have some issues in enforcing the law for these activities. It is especially difficult to get accurate information. If any environmental damage is reported, we get to know about it through the media. We do not have enough officers or vehicles to investigate information published by the media. Therefore, all of you who are being appointed today are entrusted with that responsibility.
Therefore, I entrust to all of you the responsibility of properly fulfilling your responsibilities and protecting the environment of our country for future generations, ”the Minister said.
