The Kurunegala Municipal Council, in collaboration with the Forest Department and the Central Environmental Authority, officially designated the Ethagala (Elephant Rock) forest reserve and Kurunegala Lake as environmentally sensitive conservation zones today, September 24, 2026.

Under the gazetted framework, single-use polythene and non-biodegradable food containers are strictly banned along recreational walking tracks, temple pilgrimage ascents, and lakeshore parks. Municipal green wardens and community volunteer patrols are deployed to monitor compliance, while native timber reforestation plantings are scheduled across degraded rocky outcrops to preserve indigenous avian fauna and prevent soil erosion.