Kandy Times

The Kandy Lakeside Adventist Hospital had taken the initiative to build an effluent treatment plant at a cost of Rs 4 million and it was commissioned by the Mayor of Kandy L.B.Aluvihare last week.

The Kandy municipality requires that all discharge to the Kandy Lake should not be polluted and turn into another 'Beira Lake '. This according to the Mayor is one of the most modern effluent plants constructed after the Municipality issued instructions that all houses, hotels and other dwellings should have effluent systems to protect the lake.

Aluvihare said that the environment should be protected. He said that in the past there was the ' pit system ' and then it was the modern toilet with people spending more money on the 'toilet' than on the house. Thus, he said, the importance of sanitary conditions has come to play an important role in a household. He said that the hospital should be congratulated as they have gone a step further and agreed to build according to the requirements of the municipality.

President of the Adventist Mission in Kandy Percy Dias said with the commissioning of the plant he hopes to re-cycle and use the discharge water for the needs of the hospital. He said flowering the garden, washing are some of the ways that the discharge water could be used. He also added that they have agreed with the Kandy Municipal Council to keep the lake clean which is one of their ' missions' since the lake is in front of the hospital.

The work had been undertaken by Puritas, a company under the Hayley’s group umbrella and they have the experience of around 80 plants, big and small. The Director of the organisation L. Parakrama Jaysuriya said that not only do they build but also maintain them on an agreed scheme. He said that they were happy to undertake to build this effluent plant for an organisation which maintains high health standards and also that Kandy lake should not be another Beira Lake.

Among those present was the President of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission Pastor J. W. Willie Reed, the Executive Secretary Pastor P. Sharagna and Treasurer of the Mission, Anthony Francis.
(LB)