The 'Glen Falls' at Nuwara Eliya is no more
The 'Glen Falls' which added much scenic beauty to Nuwara Eliya is drying up. The waterfall once synonymous with the town of Nuwara Eliya of which many a hotel and roads are named after is now visible only on rainy days. Area residents have watched as the waterfall dried up before their eyes.
Colonial Governor Edward Barnes who designed and developed the town of Nuwara Eliya, set up his official residence in the vicinity of the magnificent 60 -70 metre high falls.
Today this beautiful waterfall is no more.
Despite the waterfall reappearing mainly during the monsoon season, this unfolding disaster does not seem to have attracted the attention of either the populace or those in positions of trust and authority.
Environmentalists claim the over utilisation of this precious water resource for the fast expanding commercial purposes as well as public sanitation, paved the way for the drying up of this once beautiful landmark.
They add potato cultivation on hill tops which commenced in the sixties also contributed to the drying up of the falls whose source spring is situated close to Shanthipura Kala Oya on the 'Single Tree Mountain Range' around 6,830 ft above sea level.
The then town of Nuwara Eliya 12.43 sq km in extent, was carved out by the British in 1828 and was originally a town of farmers with one Samuel Baker opening a 1,000-acre farm in 1848.
According to the census of 1881 ordered by then Government Agent (GA) Baros, the town was home to a population of 1,701 persons comprising 270 families.
Today the population consists of 35,000 persons, comprises around 7,500 houses, 3530 commercial buildings and 803 government buildings.
During the dry season water to the city is severely restricted as the sources for drinking water and sanitation needs remain the same as in 1881, other than the few deep-water wells provided via Japan's JAICA.
The spurt in hotel construction will further stretch the scarce water resources in the area and will undoubtedly aggravate the situation.
If the situation is not tackled with sensitivity even the future existence of the city of Nuwara Eliya remains at risk.