Carpenters’ comments
When spoke to some of the carpenters living in Moratuwa and catchment areas, Shantha Rodrigo who maintains a carpentry shop said that carpenters were not informed in this regard and feared losing their occupation.
“We all depend on this industry. There are nearly 20 workers working with me. It is not only we as carpenters who will suffer but also people who transport, load and shift
logs are also at risk,” he said.
“We have been engaged in carpentry since our childhood. We don’t know to do any jobs other than this. Hence, we humbly request the authorities to let us carry on with our work,” he added.
Nishantha who is a worker at Shantha
Rodrigo’s carpentry shop asked as to how they would live without carpentry shops and asked how they could possibly find another job in five years. “I have four children. I have to feed them. I don’t know any other work to do,” he said sorrowfully.
Edward, who is also a carpenter by profession, said that the President’s questionable decision would desert a lot people leaving them with one option i.e. committing suicide. “I have been engaged in this field for twenty years. We have not had such a threat for the last twenty years,” he said.
Nimalsiri working in the same carpentry shop said that the authorities should consider the alternatives prior to banning of carpentry sheds.
“Six of my family depend on the wage I earn from this. If I lose this, what should we do,” he asked.
“There is a decrease in business as well.we have not received sufficient orders after the announcement of this move,” he said. Susantha Kumara said it was good that new carpentry shops would be banned, but authorities should not ban the existing ones. Nipuna Chamath, who is engaged in transporting dry rots, told Daily Mirror that he did not attend school as he had been engaged in carpentry since he was an adolescent.“it was good to ban mobile sawmills but they should not ban traditional wadu madu,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pradeep said he would not think that this would be implemented in the long-run and added it was another ineffective move.
“We as carpenters do not get fixed salaries unlike government servants. They get the salary even it they do not work. The case is different with us. We have to sweat to earn the
daily wage of Rs. 1000,” he added. In conclusion, it is worthy to note that there are more things to be done before banning carpentry sheds which would deprive the livelihood of poor people. As an example, the President should see the high individuals who are engaged in tree cutting with utmost approval and intervention of politicians. In addition, strict actions should be taken for illegal tree cutting. Last but not least, I would like to propose that it was better to bring in laws that make it mandatory to plant three plants when cutting one tree.
There are nearly 20 workers working with me