Comments on: Towards an Informed Water Vision: Part 2

By: Aqua

Aqua — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 11:25:20 +0000

The paucity of discussion and comments on this important topic indicates the lack of concern and awareness. Even the issue of Arsenic was hushed up and it is not known what the results are. So it is neccessary that facts be placed before the public so that they realise the impact of environmental degradation on their health and lives.

I agree with Pragmatist that there should be more articles and information highlighted to awaken the collective conscience of the people. It seems that we are up against many types of vested interest who would prefer that such topics be not mentioned at all.

By: Pragmatist

Pragmatist — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 12:59:57 +0000

The author, Ranil Senanayake, has done a great service to everyone living in Sri Lanka by pointing out how the water quality is slowly being compromised due to ignorant or reckless human activities. A number of potential corrective measures have been identified. Many of these measures seem to require intervention by the highest offices of the government and political leadership. I am not that sure that any of us believe that addressing this issue should be solely entrusted to the government and politicians. A grassroots approach could be launched by RS and others with relevant expertise by directly engaging the citizens. The public could be educated by a series of newspaper articles such as these translated into sinhala and tamil, that also include a list of simple measures that can be implemented by citizens and at the local level. Care should be taken not to allow commercial bottled water interests to hijack this effort.

By: rita

rita — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 03:31:46 +0000

”… Nitrates and Nitrites can be removed using deep rooted trees; Organic pollutants are removed through bioremediation; Anthropogenic Forests Analogous to the natural forests that filter polluting chemicals are being established in Sri Lanka and eleven other more countries. …”
??

Madhu forest sanctuary in Mannar District being systematically destroyed through excavating sand and felling trees, 21 April 2012
http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/5748

‘‘The Govt. under the pretext of development of the north is transporting the trees , earth and sand via the Army to the south . If anybody opposes this action of the Govt., he is either murdered or is abducted by the white Van, they added’’ – What is truly going on after the war in the North Sri Lanka? ‘LeN expose’ after the tour, 16 March 2011, http://www.lankaenews.com/English/news.php?id=10832

Space that should be taken up by trees are taken up by concrete structures:

28 Buddha statues erected along A-9 Highway since war ended in May 2009, Imaad Majeed, 19 February 2012, http://transcurrents.com/news-views/archives/8355#more-8355

The army and navy are planting Bo saplings in Trincomalee villages and they will all gobble up precious sand and space when Buddha statues will soon appear there.

Why do we have retired military personnel as Governors of Northern and Eastern Provinces only?

”But that truth cannot excuse human rights violations that currently afflict the nation as a whole; or for that matter obscure the looming threat of the cultural and political colonisation of the north by the Sinhala Buddhist majority” – Biased and Prejudiced Collection on Sri Lanka, *Gananath Obeyesekere, Economic & Political Weekly, VOL 47 No. 04, 28 January-03 February 2012 (*a Sinhalese Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, Princeton University)

Who protects the environment of land ruled by armed forces????

By: Aqua

Aqua — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 14:44:46 +0000

As I commented in Part 1, the scope of water is the subject of many different authorities including the UDA, BOI etc. Hence the use of water and discharge of effluent cannot be delinked from the issues of population growth, urbasiation, agriculture and industrialisation. The need for a holistic approach would include, planned settlements, urbanisation, water management and pollution control. Each subject is closely linked to the other.
In framing policy, sustainability would be key, to preserve natural resources for future generations. Rapid development of a country is always at the cost of the environment. All in all we lack in our committment to sustainable development even though the danger signs are fast emerging. Global warming, climate change etc. Will sanity prevail or greed for wealth and a luxurious, unsustainable lifestyle overtake us?

By: Ravana

Ravana — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 03:22:00 +0000

Two interesting articles. I have read recommendations for governance units based on water supply before and such a proposal appears to make logical sense. I wonder if Sri Lankan politicians will permit such a proposal to see the light of day?