A special investigation unit of the Police Special Task Force (STF) tasked with assisting Wildlife and Forest Conservation Officers to take immediate action against deforestation will be established within a week, The Morning learnt.
Speaking to The Morning, Police Media Spokesman Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Ajith Rohana said that the unit will be set up at the Public Security Ministry premises.
It will be set up as a rapid action committee on deforestation and the unit would be divided into two sections, where one would be handled by the Minister of Public Security Rear Admiral (Retd.) Dr. Sarath Weerasekera, and the other section would be under the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and headed by DIG Rohana.
“Both sections would deploy police officers as staff members,” he added.
The main responsibility of this unit is to take strict action against those who destroy forests and harm the environment.
According to Rohana, the STF patrolling would also take place in certain areas where they have information about deforestation.
“If there is any information regarding deforestation, the public can report it to the 1997 hotline,” he further said.
With the increasing deforestation and environmental destruction taking place across the country, Ministry of Defence Secretary (Retd.) General Kamal Gunaratne recently shared his remarks with the media, indicating that the matter was taken up for discussion during a recent meeting of the Defence Council.
“We are looking at implementing a task force with the assistance of the Police, the Army, and the Air Force to monitor the situation. While measures are in place to arrest the culprits, the clearing of vast areas continue to take place. We have received leads that some state officials have also been aiding these entities to carry out such exercises.”
Gunaratne also added that when police, STF, or army personnel visit the sites of areas that are subjected to deforestation, the labourers operating the machinery had permits in hand to carry out these activities. He noted that the President and the Prime Minister have been notified about such incidents, as these deforestation incidents have been taking place in the middle of reserves and thick forests.
Commenting on the matter to The Morning, Minister for Wildlife and Forest Conservation C.B. Rathnayake said: “These deforestation and land-grabbing rackets did not commence recently. These have been long-standing issues, and there are several entities at work in destroying nature and encroaching into forest land.”
STF anti-deforestation unit within a week
23 Feb 2021
STF anti-deforestation unit within a week
23 Feb 2021
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