SLT Customer Club - Ratnapura together with the SLT volunteer team conducted ‘Planting for Water’ - a re-forestation project at the Rakwana Palamkotte mountain range, bordering the Sinharaja rain forest which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This program was supported and guided by the regional authorities of the Department of National Community Water Supply, Forest Department Sri Lanka and volunteers from the community living in the area.
A major challenge faced by the villagers of the Rakwana Palamkotte area is the lack of clean drinking water. This water shortage is directly linked to the area’s de-forestation which took place many years ago.
“We are glad that SLT has recognised the urgency of protecting our environment and embarked on this truly noble endeavour. This project commenced with the planting of seedlings in one acre of land during the initial phase and we are planning to continue reforestation in another 4 acres of the selected acreage of this forest reservation,’ said President of the SLT Customer Club - Ratnapura, Yehiya M. Iflar.
Members of the SLT Customer Club – Ratnapura, the team of volunteers from the Regional Telecom Office of Ratnapura and the Corporate Relations Division of SLT with the support of the customers and people of the area carried out the re -forestation.
“Through this re-forestation project, the team expects to help build a ‘protection buffer-zone’, between the Sinharaja Forest Reserve and connected mountain forests. We believe that sustainability in water sanitation and health and water resources management is an ongoing challenge. Sri Lanka possesses a rich history with regard to water management from the days of the kings past.
However, at present, only 25% of the rural community Sri Lanka has access to pipe water or clean drinking water. Natural water resources are becoming highly endangered. So, we all as citizens of this country, need to act fast on this critical issue,” said Rohana Ellawala, General Manager (Corporate Relations) at Sri Lanka Telecom expressing his views on this program.