May 10, Colombo: President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has appointed a Presidential Task Force to transform Sri Lanka into a green socio-economy with a sustainable solution to climate change.

It has been named the "Presidential Task Force on Creating a Green Sri Lanka with Sustainable Solutions to Climate Change".

The Task Force, chaired by Basil Rajapaksa, Special Representative to the President, consists of 46 members, including five Cabinet Ministers, a Governor, 14 State Ministers and a Member of Parliament.

Ministers R.M.C.B. Ratnayake, Chamal Rajapaksa, Mahinda Amaraweera, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, and Ramesh Pathirana, Governor Anuradha Yahampath, State Ministers Duminda Dissanayake, Arundika Fernando, Roshan Ranasinghe, Kanaka Herath, Janaka Wakkumbura, Mohan de Silva, Wimalaweera Dissanayake, Kanchana Wijesekara, Sadasivam Viyalendran, D.B. Herath, Shasheendra Rajapaksa, Nalaka Godahewa, Dr. Sita Arambepola, and Prof. Channa Jayasumana, and MP Manjula Dissanayake are the government members.

Dr. MWN Dharmawardena, Jayampathi Molligoda, Jayantha Wickramasinghe, Prof. Sudira Ranwala, Dr. GAS Premakumara, Specialist Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya, Dr. DMJB Senanayake, Prof. S. Ananda Kulasuriya, Dr. TL Gunaruwan, Prof. P.I. Yapa, Dr. HMGSB. Hitinayake, Dr. Azeez Mubarak, Dr. Yasantha Mapatuna, Dr. Krish Dharmakeerthi, Sachithra Yapa, Vicky Wickramatunga, Herman Gunaratne, Dhammika Kobbekaduwa, Devaka Wickramasuriya, Jeevaka Atapattu, Dilshan Fernando, Mohamed Anees Junaid, Dilith Jayaweera and Vijith Welikala are the other members.

The Cabinet approved the overall policy framework and proposals contained in the Cabinet Memorandum submitted by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on 27 April to transform Sri Lanka towards a green socio-economic model with a sustainable solution to climate change.

The President has a received a huge mandate to overcome the challenges considering the fertilizers, land, biodiversity, atmosphere, waste, industry, renewable energy, settlements and cities and environmental education sectors as emphasized in the “Vision of Prosperity” policy statement.

At present there is a huge national cost for chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. As a result, people are losing their health and livelihoods due to diseases caused by the pollution of rivers, lakes, sluices and soil. Difficulties in obtaining non-toxic foods are increasing.

The Presidential Task Force has been appointed with the goal to achieve a number of eco-friendly objectives, including saving foreign exchange outflows within the country, enabling the country to have a high advantage in the emerging global economic pattern and mobilizing the people for an eco-friendly socio-economic pattern.

The Task Force has been assigned the responsibility to pay special attention to 24 other issues for the protection of the environment.

The Task Force has a major responsibility to prepare a roadmap for the complete transition from chemical farming to organic farming using organic fertilizer products instead of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides for agriculture.

The President has directed the Task Force to coordinate with the Task Force on Economic Revival and Poverty Alleviation and the Presidential Task Force on "Talking with the Village" Rural Development.