An eyesore and a health hazard

Waste water drains in Mount Lavinia

The waste water canal flowing through the fisheries housing scheme in Auburn Place in Mount Lavinia has created an eyesore in the area and a health hazard. Residents of the area said the free flow of water had been obstructed for more than a year causing them hardship. They said the canal had now turned into a massive mosquito breeding ground and that they were living in constant fear of any possible outbreak of Dengue fever. They pointed out that individuals from other areas and the residents of the fisheries housing scheme misused the canal to dispose of garbage, obstructing the canal, and that it resulted in the overflow of waste water onto the road and the home gardens.

A resident of the area Ranjith Swaris said all waste water drains from by-roads from the Galle road and Senanayake Mawatha have been linked to the canal that flows to the sea. We have been facing this inconvenience for more than a year due to the breakdown of a culvert in the fisheries housing scheme. The people had laid wooden logs to cross the canal regardless of its danger. Several children had fallen into the canal and sustained injuries. However the culvert was repaired after the media highlighted it. The side walls in the canal had developed cracks and parts of it fallen into the canal. Meanwhile, unauthorised erections on the canal reservation are going on unchecked. We are compelled to breathe polluted air due to the nauseating smell from stagnant water. When we requested the Municipal Council to clean and repair the canal they came up with the excuse that the access to the canal has been obstructed by unauthorized erection and that they are not able to install machinery and equipment on the canal bank.

Residents of the area expressed concern about the broken down drainage system that created a dengue breeding ground posing a serious threat to public health. They pointed out that the health authorities who filed action if a coconut shell with a little water was found in a home garden, had not yet focused attention on the canal filled with stagnant water creating a massive mosquito breeding ground.

However, the Dehiwala Mount Lavinia Municipal Council member Kumara Gomes said the waste water drains in Senanayake Mawatha, Aponso Mawatha, Auburn Place, Ediriweera Mawatha, and the fisheries housing scheme were linked to this main canal that had been in a dilapidated state over a long period. He pointed out that hundreds of unauthorized erections on the canal reservation obstructed the access of workers and their machinery and equipment to the canal bund. “The canal flows through a culvert under the railway line into the sea. During rough seas, the heavy influx of sea water had caused obstructions to the free flow of the canal. I have made continual requests to clean and renovate the canal but to no avail. The people blame us for neglecting it,” he said.

He further said that he would take up the issue at the next council meeting and request the Municipal Commissioner to resolve this major issue affecting a large population.

Ranjith Swaris said all waste water drains from by-roads from the Galle road and Senanayake Mawatha have been linked to the canal that flows to the sea