Letters
View(s):The dream soon turned into a nightmare
I wrote a couple of months back, about the wonderful work that had been done, down the Millenium Drive, Malabe, by the Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse, where a ‘Walkers’ Path’ had been built with paved roads, side-walk benches, solar lights and outdoor gym. It was a dream come true for us walkers!
Now the sides are completely overgrown, garbage is strewn everywhere and the entire area bears an air of utter neglect. What a sad end, for all the effort and expense incurred!
Could the minister, who approved this worthwhile project, please take remedial action, to maintain the area regularly, place concrete garbage bins , etc. Please do bring back to this former haven of delight, the pristine beauty it had once known!
Walker
Via email
The dangers of unmonitered de-silting of tank beds
A few days ago on TV news, I was dismayed to see President Mahinda Rajapaksa operating a dredger to inaugurate removal of silt (de-silting) from the bed of an irrigation tank in Anuradhapura.
I retired from the Irrigation Department (ID) in 1976 having served from 1950 first as a Technical Officer and later as Engineer.Service areas included the deep South, NCP and even Mankulam, Vavunikulam and Akkaraayankulam in the Wanni.
De-silting of tank beds was a well known modus operandi in the ID for large scale corruption and fraud. So much so, that it was commonly called “Mada walin gahanawa”. “Gahanawa” was “pagagahanawa” in short!
There were no funds provided for de-silting of tank beds in the budget for maintenance of irrigation works as it was not a regular maintenance feature. However, maintenance funds were utilised for de-silting of the canal system during the “close” season i.e. between cultivation seasons when tank water was not needed and canals could be cleared including silt removal.
If and when requests were made for de-silting of tank beds, then such works were included in the District Agricultural Committee (DAC) Priority Lists and funds provided at construction stage i.e. after preliminary and full investigation. In these days, there was little or no involvement of politicians in our work except through the DAC at which the Members of Parliament (MP) of the district were represented. Politicians at village level (Village, Town and Urban Councils) discussed their needs with the MP who then brought it up at the DAC for inclusion in the Priority Lists.
The racket for removal of silt from tank beds, commenced with complaints from cultivators/Vel Vidanes to the local politicians or MP and sometimes to the ID. De-silting of tank beds could be justified only if the level of silt accumulated is above the sill of the sluice. It is only in such circumstances that tank capacity is reduced. For water below the sill of the sluice, known as “dead storage’ cannot be drawn out for cultivation. It can be used for other purposes by humans and animals alike during dry weather or drought.
The level of silt, vis-a-vis the sluice sill, is determined by a tank bed survey and if the levels show an accumulation above the sill, then the volume to be removed is determined. The survey is not easy unless the tank bed is dry by the water being drained out. Usually, levels are taken when there is still some water. The said levels can be manipulated or “fudged”. The base of the levelling staff is about 4” x 3” and easily settles into the silt with a little downward pressure. If this happens, a lower level than the actual would be recorded. On the other hand, the quantity of silt can be over estimated by recording a lesser reading of the levelling staff. For example, if the reading on the staff in 3.00, then when 2.50 is recorded, the level of silt would be half a foot or six (6) inches higher than it actually is and thereby the volume would be greater. For example, if the tank bed area is ten (10) acres i.e. 435,600 square feet, then the higher level of six (6) inches would result in an over estimation of 2,178 cubes of silt. And, if the rate for removal is Rs 200/- per cube, then the fictitious quantity would result in a bogus payment of over Rs 200,000/-.
Unfortunately, the verification of the volume of silt removal is difficult. It can be done by tank bed levels before and after removal which can be easily manipulated as explained above. Unlike in material such as earth or gravel where the volume excavated from borrow and the volume filled could be measured fairly accurately, silt by its very nature does not lend itself to such accurate measurements.
Hence, defrauding and/or wastage of public funds depends almost entirely on the honesty and integrity of the public officers and supervisory staff.
Siltation of tanks and reservoirs is mainly due to eroded material from the catchment areas, carried down the streams and rivers that feed them. In the larger reservoirs silt transfers and/or ejection sluices are provided for. In my opinion similar methods could be adopted in all irrigation projects.
More importantly, measures that minimise erosion of catchment areas are essential to deal with the problem. One of the main causes of erosion is clearing and denudation of forest cover, especially in steeply sloping areas. In recent times, large extents of forest have been cleared, even in arid zones of the county for various development works. This can be counter- productive as it will result in heavier run-off causing erosion as well as floods in the rainy seasons of the two monsoons, normally of two or three months duration and drought towards the end of the dry months that follow.
I think the area of forest cover to total land extent in Sri Lanka has dwindled to about seventeen percent (17%) or so, from a desirable twenty-five percent (25%).
Even damage by strong winds could be minimised by the planned cultivation of forests to form wind barriers. As an octogenarian senior citizen of Sri Lanka, I appeal to all citizens to prevent the clearing of forests and insist on re-forestation and other programmes to protect this mother earth of ours and its environment. In the long run it may be more beneficial to our children and grandchildren who will inherit this land, than haphazardly planned mega projects. At the same time, let us also prevent ‘mada walin gahilla’ by closer examination of requests for removal of silt from tank beds and monitoring the procedures adopted wherever it is considered essential.
Our future prosperity depends without doubt on the consciousness of our duties and obligations to our fellow citizens as much as our rights.
Nissanka de Silva
Via email
Hokandrians stamp their protest
Verdant Hokandara is a vast expanse. North, West, South, East are her postal regions. Despite such a scenario Hokandara has one rickety Sub Post Office. Situated in a snug location though- on the hillock to Hokandara South Purana Viharaya- it has barely space to operate.
Hokandrians want no bed of roses. Only more elbow space to write an envelope address, comfortably refer the Government Gazette, a place for the bottle of gum (now ensconced on its single window sill), a couple of chairs to sit -a long bench, at least- and other simple facilities that an SPO takes for granted.
In one of the two rooms in this SPO with high tiled roof and strong ancient rafters five delivery men sort out mail on a long table.
The post mistress herself has not so much as a cubicle and could be seen standing most of the time. Yet she is ever ready with a smile, cordial and helpful.
The irony of it all is that Hokandara SPO is a stone’s throw from the recently inaugurated Athurugiriya Super Highway.
Bandula Jayaratne
Hokandara North
It’s time for a Sangha-Sabha to bring errant monks back to the fold
Of late, and after the Beruwela incident, many letters appeared in the print media, asking the question, “who is a Buddhist monk?”
As suggested by one writer, I too agree that it’s time for the five Sangha Nayakas to convene a high level “Sangha-Sabha” to discuss the uncontrolled trend, which is bringing disrepute to Sri Lanka, and issue guidelines to our errant Sangha and laymen who join them and appear on stages to arouse disharmony.
We as Buddhists perform too many un-Buddhistic rituals, for which there should be guidelines too.
Senior Citizen
Matale
Build housing schemes like in President Premadasa’s time
The most pressing need of the hour is the housing problem faced by many, as houses built by private housing schemes are priced at over Rs. 70-100 lakhs each. How can a middleclass person afford to buy a house like this, even if both husband and wife are working with kids’ schooling, van fees for their travelling, tuition and other commitments?
This appeal is to Minister of Housing, Wimal Weerawansa, who is quite capable of building houses/flats for the people in need of houses, who are unable to purchase the luxury houses that are built by the private housing companies. Only the rich can afford them.
If two bed roomed houses/flats could be built close to Colombo and priced at Rs. 30-40 lakhs each and given on a hire purchase scheme after taking a reasonable down payment of say 10 lakhs, and the balance payable in 10-15 years, it would be a great relief to those without houses of their own, even if they are govt. servants or in Mercantile sector.
At present landlords demand high rents as well as high advances and the people have to suffer.
The late President Premadasa built so many large housing schemes close to Colombo and thousands of people benefited from them. Also, he gave the houses on hire purchase schemes and with a reasonable down payment which everyone was able to afford. His heart went out to those who had no roof over their heads.
Now it’s your turn to help us, Mr. Minister of Housing.
Recently I saw an advertisement on TV, about flats built at Naiwela, Veyangoda priced at Rs. 46 lakhs each, which have now been brought down to Rs. 30 lakhs each. If only these flats were built closer to Colombo (with one hour travel to Colombo) how good it would have been and many could have benefited from them.
It takes over two hours to travel from Naiwela to Colombo, and transport facilities can’t be relied on.
People long to have a roof over their heads, transport facilities to office and back and low cost living.
We applied to the minister to help the needy with houses, and start building flats/houses immediately, so that all could live happily in their own homes.
Iranganie Jayathunge
Raddolugama
No compensation for land takeover near Sinharaja forest
This letter is meant to draw the attention of the Forest Department.
Our family property, called Moradolahena, in the Ilumbakanda village Ratnapura was acquired by the Environment Ministry, to enlarge the Sinharaja-forest. The land is a cardamom plantation, lying on the road to Sooriyakanda from Ilumbakanda.
Ilumbakanda villagers wanted to construct a motorable road across our land, because they have been using it to reach Sooriyakanda for more than 500 years.
As our land was acquired for the purpose of enlarging the Sinharaja forest, the villagers who constructed the road had to give up the project. This has caused utter frustration among them.
The Forest Department has not paid compensation to the legal owers, who comprise ten and more than 50 dependents though the acquisition took place one year ago.
Now all the co-owners and dependents, who have been waiting for compensation for more than a year, too are upset.
They have lost their income from the land and they have lost the chance of selling it to a Tourist Company who wanted to build Tourist Hotels because of its close vicinity to the Sinharaja forest.
In the near future, the owners will stage a protest demonstration in front of the Forest Dept. at Rajamalwatte Rd., Battaramulla.
Dharmasena Mohotti
(One of the Co-owners)
Piliyandala