COLOMBO (News 1st): Laws will be formulated so that obtaining permission of the Divisional Secretariat will be made mandatory for felling coconut trees, the State Ministry of Coconut, Kitul, Palmyra and Rubber Product Promotion and Allied Industrial Production and Export Diversification said.

A draft prepared in this regard has been sent to the Legal Draftsman’s Department, Tissa Hewawitharana, the Secretary to the State Ministry of Coconut, Kitul, Palmyra and Rubber Product Promotion said on Tuesday (Jan. 26).

Based on the new regulations, permission will be granted if there is a need to cut down a coconut tree to build a house.

However, Secretary Tissa Hewawitharana emphasized that permission will not be granted to cut down coconut trees unnecessarily in the future.

The respective draft is due to be approved in Parliament soon.

• President Biden joins striking autoworkers’ picket line
• Anti Terror Bill must be withdrawn immediately – Dr. Gehan Gunatilleke on NEWSLINE
• Why have India-Canada tensions worsened? Kusum Wijetilleke on Newsline
• Watch a Special episode of The People’s Platform. IMF in Sri Lanka : Beyond Ticking Boxes
• Terrorists found safe haven in Canada – Sabry