Filtered Press Release : 2021 Jul

Ministry of Environment and Tokyo Cement Group kickoff ‘Ivura Rakina Pawura’ in Manampitiya

The Ministry of Environment together with the Tokyo Cement Group recently kicked off the ‘Ivura Rakina Pawura’ programme at the Mahaweli Riverbank in Manampitiya. The far-reaching initiative was launched by Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Environment, with the participation of a few key government officials and representatives of the Tokyo Cement Group. The project aims to plant Kumbuk and Mee saplings on the banks of 335-kilometers long path of the Mahaweli River, under the patronage of Tokyo Cement Group. Mr. Salinda Kandapola, Manager Corporate Sustainability of Tokyo Cement Group and Mr. A. G. Madduma Bandara of Madduma Distributors, Polonnaruwa, representing the Tokyo Cement Group Dealer Network presented the first batch of Kumbuk saplings to Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera at the inaugural tree planting event. The minister also distributed tree saplings among a few community representatives in the area, who will support the sustainable management of the sensitive water catchment areas of the Mahaweli River. Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Environment with Mr. Salinda Kandapola, Manager Corporate Sustainability of Tokyo Cement Group and Mr. A.G. Madduma Bandara of Madduma Distributors – Polonnaruwa, at the inaugural tree planting event of Ivura Rakina Pawura. The Ivura Rakina Pawura grand endeavour by the Ministry of Environment is an extension of the National Tree Planting Programme ‘Husma Dena Thuru’, that aims to add 2 million trees to the country’s natural forest cover. Tokyo Cement Group sponsors the initiative as part of its forest tree planting programme, which propagates native forest trees with medicinal value such as, Kumbuk, Karanda, Mee, and Ingini via the two Tokyo Cement Forest Tree Nurseries situated in Trincomalee and Mahiyangana. As such, in addition to sponsoring the 3-year project, Tokyo Cement Forest Tree Nurseries will supply Kumbuk and Mee saplings required for the Ivura Rakina Pawura initiative. Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Environment distributed Kumbuk tree saplings among a few community representatives in the Polonnaruwa area. Propagating native forest trees to be used in the national reforestation efforts is among the many sustainability initiatives Tokyo Cement Group is passionately involved in. The Company is also leading a distinctive Coral Reef Conservation program and a Mangroves Reforestation initiative. The company’s commitment to social responsibility breathes life through initiatives such as this, by which they successfully integrate social welfare and environmental conservation into its corporate DNA as part of their continuous mission to enrich the country, its people, and the environment. Photo: Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Environment planting the first Kumbuk plant on the Mahaweli Riverbank during the Ivura Rakina Pawura launch event in Manampitiya, Polonnaruwa.

Tokyo Cement Extends ‘Fountain of Life’ Drinking Water Project to Siyambalagaswewa

Tokyo Cement Group recently expanded their ‘Fountain of Life’ project by gifting purified drinking water facilities to the people of Siyambalagaswewa in Mihintale. The Company installed a customised “PureHydro®” water purification system with Reverse Osmosis Technology, with an output capacity of 5000 litres a day, endowing the most precious gift of life on nearly 650 villagers in Siyambalagaswewa. This project aims to contribute towards the Government accomplish its mission to provide clean drinking water to every household in the island, as spelled out in the Vistas of Prosperity manifesto. Tokyo Cement Group’s Fountain of Life provides life giving, clean drinking water to the people of Siyambalagaswewa in Mihintale. The Fountain of Life water purification project was declared open by Mr. V.M. Ravinthirakumar – Director, Tokyo Eastern Cement Company/General Manager, Tokyo Cement Factory, together with Mr. and Mrs. K. Nanayakkara of Keerthi Traders, Anuradhapura and Mr. J.M. Thirimanna of New Grand Distributors, Anuradhapura, representing the Tokyo Cement Group’s Dealer Network. The Mihindu Grama Sanwardana Samithiya of Siyambalagaswewa, under the guidance of the Rural Development Department of North Central Provincial Council, extended their fullest cooperation to Tokyo Cement Group to implement the project successfully. Mr. S.R. Gnanam, Managing Director of Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC, in a statement said, “We started the Fountain of Life project with a far-reaching vision of providing the most essential need for all living beings, that is safe and pure drinking water. The project is implemented in selected rural parts of our country, where good quality water is critically important to save thousands of lives. With the ‘Fountain of Life‘ we will continue to extend our support to the Government to achieve its goal to provide clean drinking water facility to every household by 2025”. Mr. and Mrs. K. Nanayakkara of Keerthi Traders and Mr. J.M. Thirimanna of New Grand Distributors in Anuradhapura with Mr. V.M. Ravinthirakumar, Director-Tokyo Eastern Cement Co./GM-Tokyo Cement Factory, at the inauguration of Tokyo Cement Group’s Fountain of Life drinking water project in Siyambalagaswewa, Mihintale. People of Siyambalagaswewa, whose key livelihood is based on chena cultivation and freshwater fishing in the famous Mahakandarawa Wewa, were struggling with many difficulties in accessing potable water. Chronic Kidney Disease of uncertain origin (CKDu) had afflicted several residents of the village, while posing a great threat on the lives of the children and vulnerable groups of the community. Tokyo Cement Group worked in association with the Rural Development Department of North Central Provincial Council and the Siyambalagaswewa Village Development Society, to refurbish and replace an abandoned water scheme with a new and improved water purification system with RO capability as part of the joint initiative. Thanks to the Fountain of Life project, 171 low-income families in Siyambalagaswewa will gain access to safe drinking water, ensuring the health and wellbeing of many generations to come. Representatives of the Mihindu Grama Sanwardana Samithiya – Siyambalagaswewa, and the Rural Development Department of North Central Provincial Council, at the Tokyo Cement ‘Fountain of Life’ water purification plant in Siyambalagaswewa. Tokyo Cement Group’s ‘Fountain of Life’ Purified Drinking Water project has so far touched the lives of over 3,100 people in five villages in two districts, with the installation of five water purification plants with a cumulative capacity of 30,000 liters a day. This includes Veravil, Valaippaadu and Veerapandiyamunai in the Kilinochchi District, and Nawakkulama, another farming village severely affected by CKDu in the Anuradhapura District. Tokyo Cement Group plans to extend the reach of Fountain of Life project with the installation of more water purification facilities in selected rural villages across the island in the upcoming months. Tokyo Cement is among the leading blue-chip companies that have deployed many social empowerment projects of similar nature, that have a far-reaching impact on the lives of the people of our country. Tokyo Cement Group’s commitment to social responsibility breathes life through initiatives such as this, by which they have successfully integrated social welfare and environmental conservation into its corporate DNA as part of their vision to become the leading partner in Nation-building.

Filtered Press Release : 2021 Jul

Ministry of Environment and Tokyo Cement Group kickoff ‘Ivura Rakina Pawura’ in Manampitiya

Tokyo Cement Extends ‘Fountain of Life’ Drinking Water Project to Siyambalagaswewa

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