Right of reply
fied rainfall in concentrated periods of time; this is believed to be linked to climate change, so we are heading for a period where there will be more landslides.” (Sunday Times 02-11-2014)
Despite clear warnings of academics, including the Ministry of Disaster Management -- circular 2011 --and without even consultations with NBRO, the Southern Express Highway was constructed. It is reported, a contractor dammed a stream running through the area with concrete, and this caused the Kokmaduwa landslide, resulting in the closure of the Southern Express Way for almost a week, and 30,000 people requested to evacuate. (Where?) The Road Development Authority (RDA) had to undertake remedial measures. (Sunday Times 25-10-2015). If researched academic warnings and the Government’s Safety guidelines were implemented, this landslide, which caused human misery and a massive financial loss to the country, would not have occurred.
The quarrying for large volumes of granite using explosives from this small country to dump in the sea to construct a port city, when the country requires urgent infrastructure development, needs honest and ethical evaluation. Expansion of the port city project At the Supreme Court (10-05- 2916 Daily Mirror ), Dr. Aventi Perera (appearing for the Attorney General) stated, the Port City Project was initiated to reclaim 120 hectares of land, the entire project now is about 485 hectare.
We understand (from the values quoted) this to be over a 200 percent expansion of the initial project. This obviously needs additional sand, granite, water and power for this expanded construction. Can Sri Lanka, a small country of area about 25,333 square miles with an increasing population of about 21 million people (same as Australia which is 100 times larger), afford to use explosives, destabilise the environment and dump a vast amount of granite, equivalent to about two Giza Pyramids in the sea, to construct a Port City? This will destabilise the marine environment and surrounding coral reefs, which protect the country. The reefs may possibly be destroyed causing a massive loss to the fishing and tourism trades.
Coastal erosion now a reality in Sri Lanka
Coastal erosion is a reality. Sri Lankan newspapers regularly publish reports on coastal erosion with supporting photographic evidence.
This island’s coastal fishing communities have been seriously affected by erosion caused by sand mining. The Government has acknowledged this fact and offered Rs. 500 million as compensation for three years.
However fishing communities (over 30,000 people in Negombo) have rejected this offer of compensation. Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda stated these fisher folk wanted their rights to their livelihood secured, which is now threatened by sand mining.
We strongly believe the Government should invest and upgrade the Coastal Fishing Industry. This industry, contributes about two thirds of our country's protein requirements, essential for our people’s health and wellbeing, which is obtained daily from our rich coastal waters.
Scientists and navigators report that even at a depth of 15 metres the Sri Lankan coastal waters are teeming with marine life. It is the feeding and breeding ground for economic fish.
Navigators report that the coastline and sea bed have still not recovered from the effects of the 2004 tsunami that devastated Sri Lanka. To extract large volumes of sand for the construction of the Colombo Port City, in addition to the sand extracted for the country's essential infrastructure development, on balance, we believe, this to be detrimental to the marine environment, on which the Coastal Fishing Industry survives.
Faecal pollution of coastal waters - unacceptable
We appreciate Mr. Nihal Fernando, the Dy. Director General of the UDA, disclosing to the public that - 'thousands of metric tonnes of raw sewage annually discharged to the sea presently'. 'This possibly continues for 5-7 years'.
His statement was confirmed by Capt. O. L Samaranayake, Master Mariner and Marine Surveyor. Capt. Samaranayake stated that the raw untreated sewage outfalls are about 1.2Km from the beach.
He further elaborated on marine environmental conditions affected by this massive sewage outfall: The inshore currents are not strong enough to dilute the effects of the untreated sewage outfall. The South West Monsoon winds which affect the sea currents are mostly westerly or southwesterly and this tends to drive the effluents (sewage) towards the beaches of Sri Lanka. The gradual accumulation of sewage inshore will damage the beaches and marine life. As a result of Colombo's sewage outfalls, it is clearly observed that the coastal waters remain turbid for long periods of time, even after the monsoon ends. The reduced light penetration will adversely affect the marine ecosystem destabilising it. This situation will adversely affect Sri Lanka's income generating fishing and tour-