Don't relax ban on Asbestos, says Ven. Rathana Thera

21 December 2017 06:03 pm

Parliamentarian Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera said today he was opposed to the government’s decision to relax the ban imposed on the use of Asbestos.

Addressing a media briefing on the launch of the national programme ‘Seven days of rest in Sri Lanka’, he said the country faced a huge challenge due to the collapse of the local tea industry.

“It is in question whether the ban was imposed because a beetle was detected in a consignment of tea shipped to Russia or because of the decision taken by the government to ban the import of Asbestos from that country. I raised a public awareness programme to ban Asbestos and spoke to the majority of parliamentarians about the ban. We will be compelled to launch a protest campaign if the government sticks to its decision to relax the ban on Asbestos,” the Thera said. (Chaturanga Pradeep)

Pix by Kushan Pathiraja