President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday called on all those who make an outcry over alleged environmental destruction on social media platforms to join hands in fulfilling their respective responsibilities without raising their voices for the environment as a fashion.

“Disseminating falsehoods alleging environmental disaster is a well planned project initiated from Colombo. Today, many people have forgotten  the status of Colombo and its suburbs a decade ago,” he said.
 The President made these remarks yesterday inaugurating the 'Surakimu Ganga' (Conserve Rivers) National  Programme on the banks of the Menik Ganga at the historic Kataragama sacred city, coinciding with World Water Day with the objective of conserving the entire river system in the country. The President recalled how he took steps to dispose mountains of garbage in the city of Colombo and redevelop lowlands as well as wetlands to transform Colombo into a green city.

 He further said that this progress has attracted the attention of many countries in the world, including Singapore.  The President has directed the Ministry of Environment to take steps to clean and  conserve all rivers in the country before the end of the year. Rs. 23 billion have been allocated to clean up the entire river system under the 'Surakimu Ganga'  (Conserve Rivers) programme.’ If that amount is not sufficient,  additional funds will be provided to complete the project before the end of the year’, the President said.

• Disseminating falsehoods alleging environmental disaster is a well planned project initiated from Colombo