By Ifham NizamEnvironmental damage caused by the sinking of the Singapore-flagged MV X-Press Pearl would affect Sri Lanka for over 100 years, a top state official told The Island yesterday. The official, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the damage to sea grasses and rare aquatic species couldn’t be estimated. A senior marine scientist also said the sinking of the Singapore-flagged MV X-Press Pearl would have a disastrous impact on Sri Lanka’s fishing industry. The Additional Magistrate ordered officials to determine if the death of the turtle was caused by the chemicals released from the X-PRESS PEARL vessel. The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) said it was in the process of filing a public interest litigation against the company that owns X-Press Pearl.
