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

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