Cabinet approves plastic ban for Sri Paada pilgrimage from 2025

Colombo, Dec. 23 (Daily Mirror) - Cabinet approval has been granted to minimize the use of plastics and polythene during the Sri Paada pilgrimage season, effective from 2025, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said.

Speaking to the media at the weekly cabinet meeting, he noted that the Sri Paada pilgrimage season, which spans six months starting from December, attracts thousands of devotees and generates a substantial amount of both decaying and non-decaying waste in the sacred area. He added that the Sri Paada zone is an ecologically sensitive area, protected under the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance.

Under the resolution presented by the Minister of Environment, the following actions will be implemented:

A ban on the sale or carrying of polyethylene wrappers (such as lunch sheets), shopping bags, sachet packets, expanded polystyrene products, and single-use cups, plates, spoons, forks, knives, and straws by pilgrims.

A ban on carrying single-use plastic water bottles and soft drink bottles of less than one litre.

Prohibition of disposing of polythene covers, food, pharmaceutical products, or other goods within the environmentally sensitive zone.

Responsibility placed on sales outlet owners to manage waste generated from post-sale products containing plastics within the high-sensitivity zone.

Strict measures to prevent pollution of water fountains and waterways, including disposal of polythene and plastic waste.

Stall owners will also be responsible for transporting construction- and sale-related plastic waste outside the Sri Paada zone and handing it over to the relevant urban council or Pradeshiya Sabha for proper disposal.

The Ministry of Environment emphasized that these measures are part of a broader initiative to protect the unique ecosystem of Sri Paada while ensuring a cleaner and safer pilgrimage experience for all visitors.