Navy launches cleaning programme in Hamilton Canal area and Uswetakeiyawa Beach

Sri Lanka Navy has organized a wide range of programmes as part of its 71st anniversary celebrations. As an extension of these events, a cleaning programme was held in the Hamilton Canal area and Uswetakeiyawa Beach, under the patronage of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Navy, Commander Western Naval Area and Commandant of Volunteer Naval Force, Rear Admiral Upul De Silva on 19th December 2021.

Sri Lanka Navy has been conducting regular beach cleaning programmes in each naval command, to prevent damage to the marine ecosystem due to reckless disposal of plastic, polythene and other harmful debris to the ocean.

Accordingly, the Western Naval Command conducted a special cleaning programme to remove solid debris including plastic and polythene in the Hamilton Canal (about 05km stretching from Kelani River to the Negombo Lagoon). The motive of this event was to clean plastic debris entering the ocean through the Kelani River and the Hamilton Canal.

The programme was successfully conducted with the contribution of Oceanlust Magazine, Cinora Foundation, naval personnel of the Western Naval Command, family members of retired naval personnel, Waththala Pradeshiya Sabha, Land Reclamation and Development Corporation, Department of Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management, Marine Environment Protection Authority, MAS Holdings, public and private sector institutions and fisheries community of the area.

In parallel with this event, a group of retired naval personnel and their family members held a beach cleaning programme at the Uswetakeiyawa Beach. The programmes were conducted adhering to COVID-19 protocols to prevent possibilities of transmission of the pandemic. Both programmes made way to remove heaps of plastic and polythene waste from the Hamilton Canal area and Uswetakeiyawa Beach.