The recently amended National Environmental Act will be presented to Parliament in January 2021 with increased periods of imprisonment and higher fines for crimes committed against the environment, Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera stated.
“By January 2021, the amended Environmental Act should come into force. We have submitted the necessary amendments to the Legal Draftsman, and once it is received, we can present it to the Cabinet of Ministers and then to Parliament,” he told The Sunday Morning on Friday (30 October).
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Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera[/caption]
He said that the Act will be the first to be presented to Parliament after the budget reading concludes in November.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s (AG) Department said that they are yet to receive the draft amendment to the Environmental Act, which is presumably still with the Legal Draftsman.
“As soon as we are in receipt of the same, we will make our observations and share the same with the Ministry and the Legal Draftsman for next steps,” Co-ordinating Officer to AG State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said.
The AG's Department would make observations on the constitutionality of the amendments, after which the AG would certify that the provisions do not contravene any provision of the Constitution. It would then be returned to the Legal Draftsman and then sent to the Ministry of Environment.
Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera[/caption]
He said that the Act will be the first to be presented to Parliament after the budget reading concludes in November.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s (AG) Department said that they are yet to receive the draft amendment to the Environmental Act, which is presumably still with the Legal Draftsman.
“As soon as we are in receipt of the same, we will make our observations and share the same with the Ministry and the Legal Draftsman for next steps,” Co-ordinating Officer to AG State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said.
The AG's Department would make observations on the constitutionality of the amendments, after which the AG would certify that the provisions do not contravene any provision of the Constitution. It would then be returned to the Legal Draftsman and then sent to the Ministry of Environment.