The Acting Registrar of Pesticides – Mr. Lasantha Ratnaweera has refuted claims made by reports published on two Sunday newspapers claiming that rice imported to Sri Lanka is poisoned.
He has refuted the articles published in the Sunday Mawbima and Sunday Aruna newspapers, stating that the articles were ‘completely false and baseless’.
A media release issued by the President Media Division states that Mr. Ratnaweera says that no such research as claimed by the articles has been conducted by the Office of the Registrar of Pesticides since January this year.
According to the PMD media release, Mr. Sisira Kodikara – Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Food Security has also said that “measures will be taken to file a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department regarding this incident and the newspaper report which contained wrong sources to mislead the public.”