Land Mines Free Sri Lanka by 2020 – Swaminathan

While attending an event where Batticaloa was officially declared free of mine risks , Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs, D. M. Swaminathan said that  his aim is to make Sri Lanka a nation completely free of land mines by the year 2020.
1,276,898 land mines  have been already  removed and 26 square km more of the North-Central Province are  still pending mine clearance.
For mine clearance purposes while Rs. 10 billion had been obtained from foreign agencies the Srilanka Government spent Rs. 4 billion.
The United States of America (USA), Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, India, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, China and Russia have rendered  their assistance in clearing land mines, Minister Swaminathan concluded.