Environmental damage: FR petition filed | Page 2 | Sunday Observer

Environmental damage: FR petition filed

5 June, 2021

A Fundamental Rights (FR) petition has been filed before the Supreme Court calling for a systematic probe into how fire-wrecked MV X-Press Pearl gained access into Sri Lankan waters.

The petition has been filed byExecutive Director of the Centre for Environmental Justice, Hemantha Withanage, and a group of fishermen.

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the Marine Environment Protection Authority, Central Environmental Authority, Minister of Ports and Shipping Rohitha Abeygunawardena, State Minister of Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal and Community Cleanliness, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera and National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) have been named as the respondents.

The petitioners, alleging that Sri Lanka’s marine environment suffered massive damage due to the inferno that gutted and sank the ship off the Colombo Harbour, called on the Supreme Court to direct the authorities to conduct extensive investigation into the matter.

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