A fundamental rights application was filed before the Supreme Court yesterday against eight including Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former Plantation Industries Minister Ramesh Pathirana pleading them be granted with compensation for the loss they incurred by the ban of chemical fertiliser.
Tharaka Deshabhimana Wickramathilake Nanayakkara of Unawatuna, Weliange Gedara Sumith Erandika of Nugegoda and Thilakawansha Wijetunga Amaradivakara of Imaduwa filed their petition through Attorney-at-Law Sanjeewa Kaluarachchi cited former Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage former Plantation Industries Minister Ramesh Pathirana, former Agriculture Ministry Secretary Prof. Uditha Jayasinghe, Agriculture Director General Dr. Ajantha de Silva, Agriculture Ministry Secretary D.M.L. Bandaranayake, Plantations Ministry
Secretary Ravindra Hewavitharana, Dr.Anurudhdha Padeniya MP Ven.Athuraliye Rathana Thera, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Attorney-General as respondents.
The petitioners said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the chief architect of the organic fertilizer drive had banned the import of chemical fertilizer causing severe economic hardship and disruption to the livelihood of the farmer communities. The Petitioners also said the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa later admitted that the banning of chemical fertilizer was a mistake.
Hence the petitioners pleaded the compensation for the damage caused to their cultivation and several other pleas.
by Daily News Sri Lanka
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