Tokyo Cement Group kicks off 2026 Ivuru Rakina Pawuru with NZ Rugby

Tokyo Cement Group, in collaboration with the Mahaweli Authority, launched the 2026 tree-planting season of the Ivuru Rakina Pawuru project near the Polgolla Dam in Kandy, with participation from members of the touring New Zealand Under-85kg rugby team. The programme focuses on restoring and protecting the banks of the Mahaweli River through reforestation initiatives. The event brought together officials from the Mahaweli Authority, the Central Environment Authority and the Sri Lanka Rugby Federation, along with students from Kandy Model School in Polgolla, local residents and members of the New Zealand Under-85kg rugby team. Participants planted 100 Kumbuk saplings along the riverbank as part of the initiative. Tokyo Cement Group has partnered with the Ministry of Environment and the Mahaweli Authority on the Ivuru Rakina Pawuru programme since 2017, supporting efforts to reforest Mahaweli riverbanks using native species including Kumbuk and Mee. The company supports the project through its forest tree planting programme by supplying native forest trees such as Kumbuk, Karanda, Mee and Ingini, propagated at Tokyo Cement Forest Tree Nurseries in Trincomalee and Mahiyangana. According to the company, these plant species contribute to restoring biodiversity and reducing soil erosion along riverbanks. The trees are distributed among community and state organisations for reforestation campaigns across the island, including within Mahaweli zones. The initiative forms part of Tokyo Cement Group’s broader sustainability programme focused on environmental conservation and community engagement. Source: The morning