'Sri Lanka has the largest community based organization in the world which helps in providing purified water to the community', Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardana, said.

Minister Dinesh Gunawardana at the inauguration of the National Community Water Trust recently.

'Cabinet approval has been granted to establish the National Community Water Trust to give strength to the community based water supply project which will be implemented countrywide,' he said.

The Agriculture Ministry has drawn up a plan to develop 13 sectors of the agricultural field under Api Wawamu Rata Nagamu Under this project the Ministry had allocated around Rs 440 million to develop the agriculture sector for the year 2012, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana said.

According to the national agricultural policy the government has drawn up a plan to cultivate every inch of the country's land to make this project a success, the government has launched some strategies utilizing short-term and medium term plans, he said.

Two nature scientists, Dr Kavinda Amarasinghe and Chandika Wijeratna have been able to identify a new variety of Binara in the Knuckles Range, one of the World Heritage Sites. The features of this flower are equal to the blue Binara which can be seen in the cloud forest of the Knuckles Range. The genetic name of the Blue Binara is Exacum trinervium pallidum-knuckles.

A 1993 survey revealed that there are around 2,600 elephants in the country.

The Wildlife Department estimates that there are around 5,500 to 6,000 elephants in the country, Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S.M. Chandrasena said at a press conference.

He said it has been planned to hold an elephant census after 18 years from August 11 to minimize the human-elephant conflict.

One hundred and twenty two Information and Study Centers on the country's weather condition such as rains, floods and changes of water levels of reservoirs and rivers, will be established covering all districts, Irrigation and Water Resources Management Ministry sources said.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said the new system will commence in October.

Information on weather for better ma

The Water Supply and Drainage Ministry has taken steps to construct the Viharapalugama Water Supply project to supply purified water to traditional villages from the Anuradhapura era to honour their services to the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi.

The construction project commenced on May 21 under the patronage of Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardan and on a concept of President Mahinda Ra