Botanical garden in North by December

The Botanical Garden and Public Recreation Ministry has planned to set up a Botanical Garden in the Northern Province by December given the large number of visitors to the region since the end of the  war.


Botanical Garden and Public Recreation Minister Jayaratna Herath said the garden would be established in a suitable land of about 100 acres or less.

He instructed the officials to take preliminary measures to commence this project.

The minister made these observations while participating in an inspection tour of the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens on Tuesday.

The minister said the development of botanical gardens and zoological gardens would help boost tourism.

Herath said the Avissawella Seethawaka Botanical Gardens, Hambantota Ridiyagama Safari Park and Hambantota Mirijjavila Botanical Gardens would be opened before the end of this year. He said not only foreign tourists but also local visitors would benefit from these projects.

The minister said animals for the Safari Park would be obtained under an exchange programme from countries such as Japan, Korea, China and South Africa.

Ministry Secretary Dr Willie Gamage and National Botanical Gardens Director General Dr Cyril Wijesundara also participated