GOVT. BANS OIL PALM CULTIVATION

Kalutara District Parliamentarian Laxman Wijemanna informed the district coordinating committee that the government had decided to ban Oil Palm cultivation with immediate effect and that steps should be taken to create awareness in this regard among the planter community.

The district coordinating committee met at the Kalutara District Secretariat under the chairmanship of Paliamentarian Laxman Wijemanna. He said the ban would be in force until further notice.

However, the representatives of estate companies told the committee that they had already imported oil palm seeds and that they were taking up the issue with the

Ministry of Plantation Industries.

Minister Ajith P.perera and Govt.agent U.C.C. Jayalal said the cabinet decision would stand. They pointed out that oil palm cultivation had caused extensive damage to underground water resources and that several organizations had made representations in this regard.