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| Tuesday, 24 June 2003 |
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by Florence Wickramage Integrated water management is a "must" for Sri Lanka, leading to optimum utilization, well-maintained watersheds, clean waterbodies and equity in sharing. With this in mind, the Sri Lanka National Water Partnership (SLNWP) or the "Lanka Jalani" was established in 1999 to promote Integrated Water Resources Management. This was stated by Dr. C.J. Van Zon, Wetlands Ecologist and Consultant, Integrated Resources Management Project of the Central Environmental Authority during his keynote address at the National Symposium on Wetlands Conservation and Management in Sri Lanka held at the BMICH in Colombo recently. The SLNWP developed the Water Vision and a framework for action. A water Resources Council was set up for this purpose but the implementation did not materialize due to water users continuing their mono-sectoral activities, Dr. Van Zon said. He elaborated further by citing many examples of which one is the pressure from an international investor to start intensive shrimp culture in the Hambantota area, which plans to make use of the same freshwater that is already being used by the Irrigation Department for its small schemes programme, paid by the European Union. Further he said that the national parks in Yala and Bundala, a main source of income and employment in the area, are increasingly threatened by shortage of freshwater. Dr. Van Zon said these activities indicate that in spite of a national policy and strategy, anyone can still make plans to use the precious freshwater. He further observed that if the planner brings money from a donor or an investor, the plans can also be executed with no considerations whatsoever for those who also need the resource. The consequence, elephants being shot when they walk out of the parks to drink the water in the irrigated areas, the same source that always was their drinking water before. Dr. Van Zon made these observations through experiences gained in 13 years of Wetland work in Sri Lanka. He therefore stressed the need for "Sustainability in Wetland Management". After the inauguration, the Symposium proceeded to the technical stages. First on Planning Techniques for Wetland Policy Development and Management chaired by Conservator General of Forests Sarath Fernando. During the session presentations were made by Dr. H.M. Gunathilake, Head, Department of Agricultural Economics of the Peradeniya University on `Practical Applications of Economic Tools for Policy Development in Wetland Management; Dr. Channa Bambaradeniya, Head, Ecosystems Management and Species Conservation Programme, IUCN Sri Lanka on `The Use of Practical Biodiversity Assessment Techniques in Wetland Management'. Session two on `Management Aspects of Wetlands in Sri Lanka was also chaired by Conservator General of Forests Sarath Fernando. Session three chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Thosapala Hewage discussed "Lessons Learned and the Way Forward - Institutions, laws and Policy Development for Wetland Management'. This session also included the presentation on a status paper on Wetland Conservation and Management in Sri Lanka prepared for NWSC and the IRMP - Outcomes from the community and stakeholder consultations held on June 19th. The symposium was also addressed by Susan Blankhart, Ambassador of the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Sri Lanka. Others who spoke were Chairman, CEA Ajita de Costa; Dr. J.I. Samarakoon, Team Leader, Integrated Resource Management; Dr. R.A.D.B. Samaranayake Director Coast Conservation Department; Ms. Sonali Senaratna Sellamuttu and Alexandra Clementt of the Imperial College London and The Stockholm Environmental Institute, York University, respectively. Several experts from the region too attended the symposium. |
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