The Crudia Zeylanica tree and conserved plants at the Gampaha Botanic Gardens are inspected by the Tourism Minister, Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga and Hon. Roshan Ranasinghe. The Ministers who visited the Gampaha Botanic Gardens inspected the large Crudia Zeylanica tree and 06 conserved  plants in the Gampaha Botanic Gardens.

Mrs.Ruvini Gomez, Assistant Director of the Gampaha Botanic Gardens, told the Ministers that although the Crudia Zeylanica tree in the Daraluwa area in Gampaha where the Central Expressway is being constructed is said to be the only Crudia Zeylanica tree in the world, the Gampaha Botanic Gardens currently has a large tree and six plants of this species. In addition, there are trees of this species in the Madilla Ela, a branch of Attanagallu Oya, Doranagoda, Minuwangoda, Hendimahara, Kaduwela and Kadirana areas. The Assistant Director said that there are 20 saplings of this plant in the Peradeniya Botanic Gardens as well.

Hon.Minister, Prasanna Ranatunga stated that it is estimated that it will cost Rs. 86,000 lakhs to save and replace the plant in another place and to construct the Central Expressway accordingly. The Minister asked the Assistant Director how she could confirm that the tree in Daraluwa and these plants were the same. The Assistant Director said that a scientific investigation has been carried out in this regard. She also said that this scientific experiment proved that the trees in the botanical garden are similar in all respects to the Daraluwa tree.

Hon.Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has stated that the statement made in respect of  the Crudia Zeylanica tree in the Daraluwa area that it is the only tree in the world is either made without knowing the facts or for someone else's purpose. He said that environmentalists should pay special attention to this regard, as the development of the country should also be carried out.