NON-WILDLIFE LANDS TO BE TRANSFERRED

COLOMBO (News 1st): The Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation has decided to hand over non-wildlife and non-forest lands to Divisional Secretaries to be re-utilized, the Secretary of Wildlife said on Monday (Jan. 11). At present, such lands have been designated as sanctuaries, according to Bandula Harischandra, the Secretary to the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation. However, wildlife officials will visit such areas to determine whether there is no wildlife or forests and thereby, hand over such lands to Divisional Secretaries of the respective areas, Harischandra said. The Secretary of Wildlife further said the ownership of such lands will be handed over to the respective ministries.