Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando yesterday (29) instructed his officials to plant only the sapling species that could absorb particulate matter, black carbon and dust tolerating heat along the new Kelani bridge and connecting roads including the Kelanitissa circular and the road to the bridge from the Orugodawatte junction.
Officials of the Department of National Botanical Gardens have recommended that trees that could work as “lungs” of an ecosystem because they absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen should be selected for the purpose. Accordingly, they have selected trees such as Koboneela (Bauhinia purpurea), the Golden shower or Ahala (Cassia fistula), May Mara (Delonix regia), Robarosiya (Tabebuia Rosea), Kaha mara (Poinciana regia) Rat Mal (Rhododendron arboretum), Mee (Madhuca longifolia), Kumbuk (Terminalia arjuna), Na tree (Mesua ferrea) the Ceylon ironwood, Araliya (Plumeria) Magul Karanda (Pongamia pinnata), Nuga (Ficus benghalensis) and Murutha (the queen of flower tree -Lagerstroemia speciosa).
Minister Fernando instructed the project director to lay an underground pipe system to be set up to provide water to the trees.
