5 December 2021 04:27 pm
Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera instructed the ministry officials to expand the Air Quality Investigation program to check the air quality in several cities in Sri Lanka.
He said one of the programs proposed to be implemented under this was to check the air quality.
Currently, heavy traffic during the day in cities such as Colombo, Kandy, Kurunegala, Gampaha and Galle was contributing to the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere," he said.
These instructions were given during a discussion held at the Ministry regarding the environmental programs proposed to be implemented in the coming year.
Accordingly, the program that will be launched to check the air quality in several cities will be expanded from next year, Environment Ministry Secretary, Dr. Anil Jasinghe said.
A comprehensive action plan for the conservation of the environment in the year 2022 in line with the action plan of the Ministry of Environment were discussed at this meeting, Minister Amaraweera said.
Therefore, the Minister instructed the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) to purchase modern equipment required to check the air quality in these cities on a daily basis.
The Minister also said that necessary steps should be taken to make the public aware of the air quality while examining it.
Meanwhile, it was decided to install atmospheric quality measuring equipment at several congested areas in Colombo. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)