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Sri Lanka Army

Defender of the Nation

03rd June 2016 19:46:27 Hours

Army Launches Island-Wide Tree Planting Campaigns for a Better Future

Island-wide Sri Lanka Army formations on Friday (3) contributed to another gigantic national project, launched as a notion of HE the President Maithripala Sirisena and commenced their separate tree planting projects to coincide with the ongoing National Environment Week (May 30-June 5) of the government.           

The main ceremony of the Army, headed by the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva took place within the precincts of the Security Force Headquarters - West (SFHQ-West) at the Panagoda Army Cantonment this morning (3).     

Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva, flanked by Chief of Staff Major General Milinda Peiris, Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Sumedha Perera, Commandant, Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force Major General Channa Goonetilleke, Commander Security Forces - West Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe and a host of other senior officers, planted saplings of fruits, medicinal value and rare species Friday (3) morning symbolizing the inauguration of Army arrangements at all levels.

The nation-wide five-tier awareness project of the government, in which environmental conservation programmes on themes, such as cleaning of respective areas, waste management and environmental pollution (June 2), enhancement of growth of forestation, launch of environmental programmes in schools and state agencies (June 3), bio-diversity programmes, prevention of geographic and  climatic degradation, introduction of environment-friendly air-conditioning and cooling techniques (June 4) and promotion of green employment opportunities, planting of trees in all religious places and commemoration of the International Environment Day (June 5), covers the whole island with the participation of hundreds of all state, private sector contributors, students and other environmental agencies.

Friday’s (3) Army programme at Panagoda coincided with several provincial programmes at the Security Force Headquarters - Wanni (SFHQ-W), Security Force Headquarters - Central (SFHQ-C), Security Force Headquarters - Jaffna (SFHQ-J), Security Force Headquarters - East (SFHQ-E), Security Force Headquarters - Mullaittivu (SFHQ-MLT) and the Security Force Headquarters - Kilinochchi (SFHQ-KLN). Divisions, Brigades and all Units under those SFHQs, launched their own separate environmental programmes on the directions of General Officers Commanding, Brigade Commanders and Commanding Officers.

Mr Jayalath Balasooriya, Provincial Officer at Central Environment Authority, Vavuniya was present for the SFHQ-W arrangements on Friday (3), together with Major General Boniface Perera, Commander, SF-W. Tree planting, placement of waste paper baskets inside the SFHQ premises, conduct of awareness lectures and cleaning of the Mannar beach area by 54 Division troops dominated throughout the day as major activities of the SFHQ-W.

Meanwhile, Mr Thusitha Dissanayake, Assistant Secretary to Central Environment Authority at Badulla delivered a special lecture to the troops at the SFHQ-C, in which he underlined how the troops could contribute to the conservation of the Environment. Major General A.P De Z Wickremaratne, Commander, SF-C was also present at the occasion.

On Friday (3) SFHQ-C officers and other ranks planted saplings inside the precincts of the Officers’ Mess and the SFHQ-C premises. On the same day (3), another round of tree planting got underway at Kaluambathenna Army Farm during a brief ceremony, headed by Commander, SF-C. Several senior officers and other rankers participated in the programmes. Troops of 7 SLSC also contributed the tree planting programme. 

Meanwhile, on the first day of the inauguration of the National Environment Day (May 30), the SFHQ-KLN launched its tree planting campaign.

A total of 23 tree saplings were planted at the SFHQ-KLN premises on the directions of Major General Amal Karunasekara, Commander, SFHQ-KLN. 

Meanwhile Major General P. U. S Vithanage, Commander, SFHQ-MLT together with officers and other ranks planted several tree saplings at SFHQ-MLT premises Friday (03) morning.

Meanwhile, Trainees at the Centre for Army Vocational Training (CAVT) together with the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority in Rajanganaya planted a total of 1000 Bamboo tree saplings near the river bank of the Rajanganaya on 03 June.

In the meantime, the Combat Training School at Ampara trainees also contributed to the tree planting programme on 03 June.