The Environment Ministry has decided to launch a plan of action to reduce the use of paper in Parliament under the theme "Paperless Parliament".
The decision was revealed during a meeting held at the ministry chaired by Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe and several Parliament officials.
According to a proposal by Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, a preliminary discussion to execute this plan was held at the Ministry yesterday (22).
Minister Amaraweera said that a large number of books, pamphlets, and many paper-based documents have piled up on the table and that contributes to a great deal of environmental damage as well as a waste of resources on a daily basis.
The Minister also said that the ministry would submit a proposal to make a paperless parliament and said, at least 37 trees which are 40 feet in height have to be cut down for the use of paper on a day in parliament.
Therefore, immediate action should be taken to execute this task, he said. It was also revealed that the printing of Hansard costs around Rs.one million per day.
Accordingly, the Minister said, he would submit a proposal to the Speaker to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee at the party leaders' meeting to get this plan off the ground with the view to make a paperless parliament. (Daily Mirror)