Minister said the government’s objective was to increase the forest density of the country from 29 percent to 32 percent of the land area within the next five years. He said under this programme sapling’s needed for city beautification as well as water retention saplings such as mee and kumbuk varieties would be given prominence for planting.

He said the Mahaweli Authority would provide 350,000 saplings while the Forest Conservation Department would provide 115,000 saplings and the Coconut Development Board would supply 20,000 coconut saplings for the ensuing programme. The responsibility of tending and caring for the planted saplings would be entrusted to Grama Niladharis, Development and Samurdhi Officers through the District Secretaries.