A group of Naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command together with officials of Wildlife Conservation Department-Mannar attached to the Madu office, nabbed 8 persons who were cutting mangrove shrubs, during a raid carried out in Udeiadi lagoon area, Wankalai, yesterday(09).

The Sri Lanka Navy stated that a few mangrove branches cut by the suspects, two knives and 2 axes used for cutting mangrove were taken into naval custody.

The suspects are residents of Mannar area in the ages of 43, 38, 31, 29, 27 and 19. Officers of the Wildlife Conservation Department conducts further investigation on arrested suspects and mangrove poles.

This mangrove ecosystem which is an authentic resource activate against the soil erosion is destroyed only by very few people and SL Navy keeps a watchful eye on such groups to foil their attempts and to enforce the law against them.

Further, the Navy has launched several projects successfully to replant the mangrove around the lagoon areas of the island. Especially, at present, these mangrove replanting projects are being actively maintained in Northern, North Central, North Western, and Southeastern Naval areas. The main objective of these projects is to conserve and protect the coastal belt around Sri Lanka.