President calls for end to political patronage in environmental destruction

• Condemns illegal activities and exposed corruption among State officials in Immigration, Customs and Mining sectors at the national ceremony to mark World Environment Day
• Calls on State officials to become “agents of life,” promising political backing for reform and warning: “either you change, or we will change you”
• Asserts Sri Lanka has strong laws, but political interference undermines implementation
• Cites rising landslides, droughts, floods, human-elephant conflict as signs of deteriorating ecosystem
• Opines environmental protection must transcend politics, offering unifying platform for all communities
• Declares ‘Bandula Pethiya’ habitat a protected sanctuary, gazettes four new nature reserves including Nilgala Conservation Area, designates three Eco-Friendly Model Schools, launches evaluation system for Green Railway Stations
• Insists on nation to restore lost ecological richness, transform Sri Lanka into global example of environmental harmony

President Anura Kumara Disanayake yesterday issued a stern warning to both State officials and political actors, pledging to dismantle entrenched systems of political protection that have long enabled environmental degradation in the country. 

Speaking at the national ceremony to mark World Environment Day held at Nidahas Mawatha in Kegalle, he acknowledged that while Sri Lanka possesses some of the region’s most comprehensive environmental legislation and capable enforcement apparatus, its effectiveness has been compromised by political interference and bureaucratic inertia.

“Sri Lanka already possesses some of the strongest environmental laws. Yet, political patronage has been a significant barrier. Many of the coastal sand mining operations are owned by politicians or their close associates – you know this as well as I do. Even forest destruction has taken place under political protection,” he stated. 

The President in a clear message said: “Do not be agents of ecological destruction. Be agents of life. We will provide the political support needed for you to do so.”

In a strong rebuke of the administrative culture within parts of the State sector, the President revealed recent findings of systemic misconduct across key institutions. 

“We have discovered officials in the Department of Immigration forging passports. We have found Customs officers smuggling goods. There are even mining officials involved in enabling illegal exploitation. These are not isolated cases. That is why I say, let go of the old ways,” he stressed. 

Pledging full political backing for reform-minded officials and institutions, Disanayake called on State workers to embrace change. “The time has come and I will repeat this again and again – either you change, or we will change you,” he said.

The national campaign for World Environment Day 2025, aligned with the global theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution,’ is operating under the sub-theme ‘Let It Sprout.’ 

The President explained that this is not a mere symbolic observance, but a call to action, with programs designed to create room for the environment to recover and regenerate.

“Today is a momentous day. I have addressed many gatherings before and spoken on numerous occasions and voiced many opinions. But what I have to say today is not just another speech. It is a deep expression of commitment and responsibility towards our motherland and our natural ecosystem. I don’t see this as merely a ceremonial event, but as a declaration of our collective feelings and obligations towards environmental protection,” he said.

Noting that foreigners often tell how beautiful Sri Lanka is, he said we are fortunate to possess an ecological legacy that has shaped our landscape and heritage. 

“However, beneath this apparent beauty lies a tragic reality. We must ask ourselves: is the beauty we see truly reflective of a healthy ecosystem? Or is it a deceptive surface covering deep-seated environmental destruction? I believe we are facing a profound ecological tragedy. In our youth, we knew a country free of landslides. But in our lifetime, we have witnessed the devastation of landslide disasters. We knew a Sri Lanka that was not plagued by severe floods or extreme droughts. Yet, we now experience these calamities all too frequently. The human-elephant conflict has reached crisis levels. A nation once known for its vibrant biodiversity now suffers from growing discord between nature and its inhabitants,” he elaborated.

The President said every being has a duty which simply cannot be ignored. “We must restore our ecosystems. If this degradation continues unchecked, we will leave future generations with an irreversible catastrophe. Therefore, it is our moral responsibility to safeguard and rehabilitate the environment for our subsequent generations,” he added.

Disanayake recalled that when he was living in Anuradhapura, water could be found just six feet below the ground—but today, even after digging 60 feet, water is nowhere to be found. 

“We never imagined that, within our lifetime, shops would open in Anuradhapura to sell water. In the past, when we climbed Kadugannawa, all we could hear were the sounds of cicadas or crickets and flowing water and our ears get blocked. But now, that sound is gone. The environment has dried up. We have become a generation that is witnessing these environmental tragedies unfold within our own lifetime,” he pointed out.

He also noted that many of the reservoirs in the central highlands are now filled with sediment, which raises an important question of, did we truly consider the environmental impact when implementing these development projects? 

“Historically, our ancestors never constructed reservoirs within the central highlands. Instead, they protected the highlands and diverted the water that flowed from them to build reservoirs at lower elevations. The Minipe canal system is one such example. In those days, the central highlands were also home to dense elephant populations. Today, we no longer see flocks of storks or swarms of butterflies in our ecosystem. These are visible consequences of the destruction caused by human activity,” he said.

Disanayake said children are now growing up in a world where butterflies are no longer part of their natural surroundings. Therefore, it is our responsibility to restore an ecosystem where butterflies and other wildlife can return.

“In every field, be it economics or education, different perspectives may exist. But when it comes to the environment, there can be only one shared understanding – the need to protect it. Safeguarding the environment and handing it over to the next generation is a duty that falls upon us as adults. Fortunately, citizens are standing with us in this effort and that gives us the opportunity to restore our natural ecosystems,” he said.

He said when it comes to environmental issues, all communities can come together. “Regardless of the nature of our national challenges, the environment is an area where unity is possible. The environmental sector has the potential to foster national cohesion. We now have an opportunity to rebuild our national environment through a shared national consciousness. That is why we are calling on everyone to ‘Let it Sprout’,” he explained.

Reiterating that everyone has a responsibility to revive the environment, Disanayake said a land that has dried up, where water systems have sunk deep underground, and rapid destruction fuelled by concrete and plastic has taken its toll—he firmly believes it is our collective duty to restore and rebuild such a nation.

“In doing so, we convey this message to the world—though we may be a small island in size, today we can rise as a giant in conscience. United, we can transform our country into a State that proudly owns a healthy and sustainable environment. When that day arrives, the world will look to Sri Lanka and say, this is a nation that has reconnected with the land; not in conflict with nature, but in harmony with it. Today, we find ourselves in confrontation with the natural world. Let us make it our collective aspiration to build a country that lives in peace with the earth. To achieve this, we must come together as one,” he remarked.

Among key decisions announced at the event were the declaration of Bandula Pethiya’s (Bandula Barb) habitat as a protected sanctuary, the gazetting of four new nature reserves along with the Nilgala Conservation Area, the designation of three schools as Eco-Friendly Model Institution, and the launch of an evaluation system for Green Railway Stations. 

The event was jointly organised by the Environment Ministry, its affiliated bodies, all State institutions, the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat, and environmental organisations.

The event was attended by several distinguished guests, including Environment Minister Dr. Dammika Patabendi, Sabaragamuwa Province Governor Champa Janaki Rajaratne, and the leader of the Indigenous Community, Uruwarige Vannila Aththo.