Next stop, the sea: Sri Lanka’s old buses are a new home for marine life
by Malaka Rodrigo on 21 July 2021
The Sri Lankan government has recently been sinking decommissioned buses and boats at selected sites off the country’s coast to serve as fish-breeding sites.
Initial observations are encouraging, with marine life starting to flock to these artificial structures; conservationists say the project needs to be regularly monitored.
Shipwrecks abound around Sri Lanka, thanks to its position on the Indian Ocean shipping route, with many decades-old wrecks now serving as artificial reefs hosting an abundance of marine life and doubling as tourist attractions.
Colombo (News 1st); The Navy-constructed Lankagama Nilwella Bridge was ceremonially declared open on 10
th April 2021. The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of the Governor of Southern Province, Dr. Willy Gamage and with the attendance of Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne. The new bridge connects the villages of Lankagama and Nilwella of Neluwa in the Southern Province.
Going in line with the National Policy Framework – Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour by His Excellency the President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, initiatives were made to go ahead with this development project, fulfilling a long felt need of Lankagama and Nilwella residents as they faced hardships when crossing the Gin River through a risky and difficult means. The construction work of the bridge, which is 84 meters long and 1.8 meters wide, commenced by Navy on 28th July 2020 and was able to complete its construction in short period of time. The financial provision for the project wa
Sunday, 11 April 2021 - 17:38
Minister of Youth & Sports, Honorable Namal Rajapaksa declared open the ‘Underwater Gallery Nilwella’ at Nilwella beach yesterday (10th April 2021).
Built with the contribution of the Sri Lanka Navy, this latest addition in the southern coast of Nilwella, would from here on attract more local and foreign holidaymakers towards this popular tourist destination.
The project had been set in motion after taking a wide array of matters into consideration. Among them; prevention of harmful effects on marine animals, plants and corals due to natural and human activities, protection of the marine ecosystem, creation of an artificial fish breeding environment, provision of artificial substrates for coral reefing and offering a magnificent site for scuba divers were factored.
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