Plastic problem: Cess offers no solution
Around 1.30 a.m. on April 3, I got a severe pain in the abdomen and it continued. In the morning I was treated at the emergency unit of a hospital in the suburbs of Colombo and the pain subsided but did not completely go away. Whilst I was on the hospital bed I got fever and started shivering. As the fever continued I was put on antibiotic tablets. On April 6, I underwent an Ultra Sound Scan at the same hospital and it showed that my liver was normal.
As the fever continued I got admitted to the same hospital on the 9th and I was treated with antibiotics through a drip. As this too did not answer, I was prescribed the strongest of the antibiotics, without investigating the reasons for the fever. I immediately got discharged from that hospital and entered a hospital in Colombo.
The next day I underwent another Ultra Sound Scan which revealed that there was an abscess in the liver measuring 4.5 cm. The very next day the abscess was syringed out and the fever, which lasted for 10 days, stopped immediately. Had the abscess burst, if I continued treatment at the earlier hospital, it might have been the end of me.
I was lucky enough to be saved as I had the resources to get treatment from the correct hospital and at the correct time. R. Fernando Moratuwa
Environmental authorities were to recommend a cess on import of what they called “polythene”. In the first instance, the term “polythene” is not identifiable scientifically. I believe what they meant was polymer products which could easily be described as plastics. There are varieties of polymer products/ derivatives such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, PVC, polyester andpolyethylene terephthalate (PET).
The million dollar question is: Can a cess reduce the import and use of plastic? It is common knowledge that plastic products are widely used not only in Sri Lanka but all over the world. It therefore becomes necessary to find the substitute for plastic. Perhaps, the authorities wanted to curtail polyethylene and polypropylene in the form of sheets and bags. What is the substitute for plastic bags and sheets? Paper?It may be a good substitute,but the use of paper too, is not recommended by environmentalists since it involves the felling of trees.
A cess could only increase the cost of plastic but cannot curb its usage since plastic has become a necessity in our day-to-day life. Instead,the authoritiesshould propose practical means of col- lection and disposal of used plastics. They also must study the system followed by developed countries. The sad part of the story is that most local bodies,with the exception of the Colombo Municipal Council and a few other councils, are not serious about the subject. Instead of finding short-term solutions which are not result-orientated, there should be serious thoughts on the subject of recycling garbage including plastic to subsidise the cost of collection and disposal. S. Thamotharampillai Colombo 06
Immediate rehabilitation of the Urubokke Dutch Canal in the Pasgoda Divisional Secretariat area is a must to prevent possible disastrous floods similar to what we experienced last month. Will the relevant authorities take action?
P.H. Masmulla