2020-11-26
News Categories : Committee News
Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda stated that a prompt solution will be taken to obviate Indian fishermen from illegally fishing crossing the territorial waters of Sri Lanka after consulting with the Indian Embassy in Colombo and the External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi. He stated the above at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Fisheries held yesterday (25) in Parliament.
State Minister Kanchana Wijesekera pointed out that Indian fishermen have been fishing illegally not only in the Northern and Eastern territorial waters but also in the Southern territorial waters and thus measures to put an end to such illegal activities should be done with immediate effect.
The Ministers stated the above in response to a concern raised by the Members of Parliament Charles Nirmalanathan, S. Sridharan and the Deputy Chairpersons of Committees Angajan Ramanathan.
State Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, Deputy Chairperson of Committees Angajan Ramanathan and Members of Parliament, (Dr.) Upul Galappaththi, Charles Nirmalanathan, S. Sridharan, Kader Masthan, Shantha Bandara, Chandima Weerakkody, H. M. M. Harees were present at this meeting.
The Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda stated that the issue of illegal fishing by Indian fishermen outside their borders has already been discussed with the Indian Embassy in Colombo on a number of occasions and that the matter was also taken up during an online discussion held recently between the Hon. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Hon. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi. Adding to it the Minister stated that though an agreement to resume discussions which was stalled between the two countries were made, a measure on that regard is yet to be taken and that consultation is ongoing with the Indian Embassy in Colombo and the External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi in search of an immediate solution.
MP Charles Nirmalanathan and the Deputy Chairperson of Committees Angajan Ramanathan pointed out that the Sri Lankan Navy has intervened in the recent past to prevent Indian fishermen from crossing the territorial waters of Sri Lanka, the current COVID situation has led to a large number of Indian fishermen crossing the border illegally and requested the Minister to find a solution to the issue even if it requires the intervention of the Navy.
MP (Dr.) Upul Galappaththi requested the Minister to expedite the development of the Kirinda and Hambantota fishing harbors to which the State Minister Kanchana Wijesekera stated that Ministry of Fisheries is already working on that regard.
The Minister of Fisheries disclosed that attention has been paid on converting the Oluvil Port into a fishing harbor. Adding to it the State Minister mentioned that the Ministry intend to present a Cabinet paper on the aforesaid in near future.
The state Minister also pointed out that there is a legal issue regarding the land acquired for the Crab City project which was proposed to be started in the Rekawewa area in Hambantota during the last government period and post resolving these issues, steps have been already taken to carry the project forward in collaboration with the private sector.
2026-03-30
Progress on the implementation of recommendations issued by the COPA on 06th January 2026 was reviewed Matters relating to the 2024 Auditor General’s Report and current performance were also examined The Department of Archaeology was summoned before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), where attention was drawn to the progress made in implementing the recommendations issued at the COPA meeting held on 06th January 2026, as well as to the current performance of the Department.These matters were discussed at the COPA meeting held in Parliament on 19th March 2026 under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Kabir Hashim, to examine the Auditor General’s triennial report for the years 2021–2023, the 2024 Auditor General’s Report, and the current performance of the Department of Archaeology.At its meeting on 06th January 2026, it was recommended that a report on the gazetted and ungazetted antiquities identified by the Department of Archaeology be submitted to the Committee within a month. However, the Auditor General’s Department pointed out that data relating to antiquities not declared by Gazette had still not been submitted to the Committee. Accordingly, the Chair of the Committee instructed that a report be submitted within two weeks, including details of such antiquities, reasons for not publishing them by Gazette, and a proposed timeline for their gazetting.The Committee also focused on the lack of progress in implementing the recommendation to establish a centralized data system for the Department of Archaeology, and instructed that a progress report on this matter be submitted to the Committee.Furthermore, it was revealed that although Cabinet approval stipulates that 25% of the revenue generated by the Central Cultural Fund should be allocated to the Ministry of National Heritage, the Department of Archaeology has been requesting a lower allocation annually. Officials who appeared before the Committee stated that funds allocated through Cabinet approval had remained unutilized, and that there are plans to reduce future allocations requested from the Treasury accordingly.The shortage of vehicles available to the Department was also discussed, with officials noting that this has significantly affected the institution’s performance. The Committee stated that it would take steps to raise this matter with the relevant authorities.The meeting was attended by Committee Member Hon. Deputy Minister Dinindu Saman Hennayake and Hon. Members of Parliament (Dr.) M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, Hector Appuhamy, Chanaka Madugoda, Chandana Sooriyaarachchi, and Ruwanthilaka Jayakody.
2026-03-30
The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Youth Affairs and Sports has granted approval for the regulations under the “Convention Against Doping in Sports Act.” These regulations have been published in the Extraordinary Gazette No. 2471/51 dated 16 January 2026.The approval was granted at a meeting of the Committee held recently (Mar. 20) in Parliament, under the chairmanship of the Hon. Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage, with the participation of the Hon. Deputy Minister, Dinindu Saman Hennayake.A number of Member Parliamentarians of the Committee, as well as non-member Parliamentarians, were present at the meeting. Officials, including the Secretary to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, also attended the occasion.
2026-03-30
The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability has instructed officials to immediately prepare a plan for the environmentally friendly disposal of ash emitted from the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Plant.These instructions were given at a meeting of the Committee held in Parliament on the Mar. 17th, under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Hector Appuhamy.It was revealed during the meeting that, due to issues related to the quality of coal imported to Sri Lanka for power generation, the volume of ash emitted during electricity generation has increased significantly. The Committee noted that if this ash is not properly disposed of, there is a risk of future environmental damage. Accordingly, officials were directed to formulate a plan under the leadership of the District Secretary of the Puttalam District to take the necessary measures.It was also proposed that the possibility of reusing the removed ash for production purposes be studied, and that any revenue generated from such products be utilized for welfare projects benefiting the communities affected by the power plant.In addition, the Committee instructed the Central Environmental Authority to submit a comprehensive report on whether water and air pollution have occurred as a result of the Norochcholai Power Plant. Furthermore, the North Western Provincial Environmental Authority was also recommended to provide responses within two weeks regarding the questionnaire and related matters submitted by the Committee in connection with the Norochcholai Power Plant.Officials of the North Western Provincial Environmental Authority stated that although the volume of ash emitted from the plant has increased, the filtration system in use at the plant is sufficient to absorb these particles. Several matters, including the issuance of environmental protection licenses for the power plant, were discussed in detail.The meeting was attended by Committee Members, Hon. Members of Parliament Kings Nelson, Roshan Akmeemana, Attorney-at-Law Chithral Fernando, Susantha Kumara Navaratne, Kitnan Selvaraj and Upul Kithsiri.
2026-03-24
The Select Committee of Parliament to conduct a comprehensive study on the lack of preparedness to face Cyclone Ditwah and report to Parliament and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard, met for the first time on 19.03.2026 at Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa.Addressing the meeting, the Chair emphasized the importance of gaining a clear understanding of how the relevant responsible institutions operate during natural disasters such as Cyclone Ditwah, in order to effectively carry forward the work of the Committee. Accordingly, it was decided to summon officials from the Disaster Management Centre, the Department of Meteorology, the Department of Irrigation, and the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka to the next two committee meetings to obtain the necessary preliminary briefings.It was also proposed that, given the subject-specific scope of the Committee, officials possessing technical expertise and specialized knowledge in relevant fields should be called before the Committee from time to time to assist in understanding complex technical matters. The Chair noted that the Committee is required to submit its report to Parliament within three months from the date of its first meeting by 19.06.2026. Accordingly, efforts will be made to hold meetings promptly and prepare the report, including relevant recommendations, within this timeframe. He further stated that, in addition to proposals related to the Committee’s scope, the report is expected to include recommendations aimed at establishing a stronger mechanism to effectively respond to future events similar to Cyclone Ditwah.The meeting was attended by Hon. Members of Parliament Anuradha Jayaratne (Attorney-at-Law), Hector Appuhamy, Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, M.K.M. Aslam, Anushka Thilakaratne (Attorney-at-Law), Kanthasamy Prabhu, Ruwan Mapalagama, and (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam. Hon. Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa also attended with the special permission of the Chair.
Handbook of Parliament
The System of Elections in Sri Lanka
How Parliament Works
Business of Parliament
Copyright © The Parliament of Sri Lanka.
All Rights Reserved.
Design & Developed by TekGeeks
