Environment & animals

පරිසරය සහ සතුන් · சுற்றாடலும் விலங்குகளும்

Pollution, noise, wildlife, forests, mining

Situations

• A factory is polluting near your home · ඔබේ නිවස අසල කර්මාන්තශාලාවක් පරිසරය දූෂණය කරයි · உங்கள் வீட்டருகே தொழிற்சாலை மாசுபடுத்துகிறது
• Loud noise from a neighbour, loudspeaker or business · අසල්වැසියෙකුගෙන්, ශබ්ද විකාශනයකින් හෝ ව්‍යාපාරයකින් අධික ශබ්දය · அயலவர், ஒலிபெருக்கி அல்லது வியாபாரத்திலிருந்து அதிக இரைச்சல்
• Garbage dumping or burning near you · ඔබ අසල කසළ දැමීම හෝ පිළිස්සීම · உங்கள் அருகில் குப்பை கொட்டுதல் அல்லது எரித்தல்
• Someone is cruel to an animal · යමෙක් සතෙකුට හිංසා කරයි · யாரோ ஒரு விலங்கை வதைக்கிறார்
• Hunting or harming wild animals · වන සතුන් දඩයම් කිරීම හෝ හානි කිරීම · வனவிலங்குகளை வேட்டையாடுதல் அல்லது தீங்கிழைத்தல்
• Illegal tree felling or sand mining · නීති විරෝධී ගස් කැපීම හෝ වැලි කැණීම · சட்டவிரோத மரம் வெட்டல் அல்லது மணல் அகழ்வு
• A dog bit you or your child · සුනඛයෙකු ඔබට හෝ ඔබේ දරුවාට සපා කෑවේය · நாய் உங்களை அல்லது உங்கள் பிள்ளையைக் கடித்தது
• Stray or dangerous dogs in your area · ඔබේ ප්‍රදේශයේ අයාලේ යන හෝ අනතුරුදායක සුනඛයන් · உங்கள் பகுதியில் கட்டாக்காலி அல்லது ஆபத்தான நாய்கள்

Acts, ordinances and regulations

• National Environmental Act, No. 47 of 1980 (amended incl. Act No. 53 of 2000) — Creates the Central Environmental Authority, requires Environmental Protection Licences and EIA approval for big projects.
• National Environmental (Noise Control) Regulations No. 1 of 1996 (Gazette 924/12) — Sets maximum noise levels by zone for day and night.
• Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, No. 2 of 1937 (amended by Act No. 22 of 2009) — Protects wild animals and plants, national parks and sanctuaries; controls hunting.
• Removal of Sand Regulations No. 1 of 2007 (Gazette 1481/22) — Controls sand mining at listed locations near wildlife areas; licence from the GSMB Chairman.
• Forest Conservation Ordinance, No. 16 of 1907 (amended by Act No. 65 of 2009) — Protects conservation and reserved forests; punishes illegal felling and timber transport without a permit.
• Felling of Trees (Control) Act (1951) — Lets the Minister ban or control felling of specified trees by Order.
• Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, No. 13 of 1907 (Chapter 475) — Current animal cruelty law from 1907; penalties are very low.
• Animal Welfare Bill (2026) - not yet law — Gazetted July 2026; would repeal the 1907 Ordinance and raise cruelty fines to Rs. 250,000 and up to 2 years' jail.
• Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management Act, No. 57 of 1981 (amended 2011) — Any development in the coastal zone, including removing sand or coral, needs a permit.
• Mines and Minerals Act, No. 33 of 1992 — Mining and transporting sand, gravel, clay and minerals need GSMB licences.
• Pradeshiya Sabhas Act, No. 15 of 1987 (and Municipal / Urban Councils Ordinances) — Local councils inspect nuisances, collect garbage and act on pollution from factories.
• Police Ordinance (s. 80) and Supreme Court loudspeaker directions (SC FR 38/2005) — Loudspeaker permits; no permits between 10 pm and 6 am except special events.
• Penal Code (Ordinance No. 2 of 1883) — Public nuisance and fouling water or air are offences.
• Rabies Ordinance, No. 7 of 1893 — Local authorities seize stray dogs; owners and police have duties when rabies is suspected.
• Dog Registration Ordinance, No. 25 of 1901 — In areas named by the Minister, dog keepers must register each dog every year.