The Minister of Environment, Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday instructed the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) to immediately suspend the sand mining permit issued by the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau for the removal of sand from the Kuda Oya Amuna in the Vijayabahupura Division of the Mahaweli B Zone of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority. 

The Environment Ministry advised the GSMB to suspend the sand mining permit for the Kuda Oya Amuna project with immediate effect.

The order was given by Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday after several public protests regarding the environmental damage around the Kuda Oya Amuna area.

The sand removal project was conducted on the Kuda Oya Amuna in the Vijayabahupura Division of the Mahaweli B Zone of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority.

The GSMB Director General said that the licence was temporarily revoked due to public protests and submissions made to Parliament over the special permit issued for sand mining and the trade licence for sand storage. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)