COLOMBO, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan Coast Conservation Department have decided to remove all unauthorized constructions on the coastal belt, an official here said on Saturday.

Director General of the Department Prabath Chandrakeerthi told Xinhua that his office has identified 1,500 such unauthorized constructions along the coastal belt to be removed.

He said these unauthorized structures included tourist hotels.

"We will remove all of them step by step," Chandrakeerthi said.

Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs Minister John Amaratunga said it was important to remove unauthorized tourist hotels on the coast.

The tourism minister said there were also places that had not been approved by the Sri Lankan Tourism Development Authority.

"We welcome the move to remove unauthorized structures for the good of tourism," he told Xinhua.