SLN receives BTS to augment beach cleanup efforts
March 27, 2023Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) handed over a Beach Tech Sweepy (BTS) machinery to the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) recently (25 Mar) under the patronage of Senior Adviser to the President on National Security and Chief of the Presidential Staff Sagala Ratnayake and Navy Commander Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera.
A mechanized beach cleanup programme began at the Crow Island beach, Mattakkuliya on 12 March 2023 with the aim of reducing the environmental damage caused to the Sri Lanka beaches by the distressed X-Press Pearl vessel in 2021, SLN sources stated.
The programme is conducted by MEPA, Coast Conservation Department, Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government, Central Environmental Authority, Environmental Police, Sri Lanka Navy and several other public and private stakeholders to remove the garbage from the affected beaches which are main attractions of the tourism industry.
Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne (Retd), Deputy Chief of Staff and Director General Operations, Rear Admiral Pradeep Rathnayake and MEPA officials were also present at the occasion.
