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| Thursday, 24 June 2004 |
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Health, environment and corruption by I. P. C. Mendis (Jr) Can the general public be satisfied that the latest steps taken to empower local authorities to prosecute or to impose spot fines on errant households for lapses in cleaning their gardens of receptacles, tyres, shopping bags and the like and having blocked gutters all of which are breeding grounds for dengue mosquitoes, will effectively solve the burning problem? It constitutes a minor part in a massive problem involving local authorities themselves. Though it is a good step, the victim of such action by local authorities should perforce have the confidence that law enforcement is through an institution with clean hands and not through a greater perpetrator of the same crime in a more pronounced way.
Most local authorities are guilty of permitting garbage dumps to collect on roadsides and by-lanes for days and weeks breeding mosquitoes, dengue and others, by the millions. These garbage dumps contain a variety of receptacles, shopping and garbage bags. where water collects. "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes! (who guards the guards?). This sounds the joke of the year if not for its tragic connotations. It is common knowledge that people pay taxes to local authorities for a non-existent service or a putrid service. Can dengue be controlled in this manner of isolating a few households turning a blind eye to a problem compounded by some local authorities themselves through incompetence? What right has such local authorities to sit in judgment over the less fortunate on an issue which they themselves are responsible no less? What of the huge dumping grounds? What of the silted lakes, waterways, ponds and potholes which owe their condition to the lackadaisical and devil-may-care attitude of some local authorities and other government institutions which are hell-bent on concentrating on building construction and other lucrative contracts rather than services benefiting the people? The Central Environment Authority - what indeed is its role? Does not this august body have empowering legislation to come down hard on errant individuals and bodies which violate environment laws with impunity? What meaningful action does it take on complaints made? Is it another glorified bottle-neck without an impact on the day-to-day life of the people? The Authority has to clear various projects for environmental impact before they are approved for implementation. Thereafter, what monitoring and enforcement is done? What penalties are imposed on violations? If it is not geared to finding violators by itself, is it so important as to be unable to do anything other than resort to the famous method of "Horaage Ammagen Pena Ahanawa"? There can be no doubt that it has in fact fallen into this groove. This country has a history of corrupt and anti-social elements in the form of building contractors and road contractors. coming from the days of the Public Works Department. Some local authorities have their fair share. The powers-that-be continue with their policy of speak no evil, see no evil and hear no evil. Complaints continually fall on deaf ears for reasons best known to themselves and contractors carry on regardless. Gone are the days when there was a black list and those who have tainted themselves or have yet to clear themselves been suspended from work till they satisfy authorities of their innocence. Greed for making a fast buck on contracts knows no bounds and eventually the people are left stranded completely at the mercy of most contractors. Moratuwa is no exception. Do the estimates submitted and approved for road construction include the use of used tyres and old vehicle batteries for heating tar barrels? If an engineer or supervisor is expected to oversee the quantities of metal, tar barrels? If an engineer or supervisor is expected to oversee the quantities of metal, tar and other supplies used and how the work is done, generally there is none to be seen. Before local authorities commence to twist the arm of householders in the dengue campaign, they should clean up their own household and also start rounding-up road contractors who pollute the environment over a wide area with toxic fumes caused by burning old tyres and lead battery blocks. The writer complained of such a situation on June 1, to a high-up in the Central Environment Authority over the telephone while the contractor was indulging in such practice. This bureaucrat had the golden solution at hand common to many government institutions. He undertook to inform the Municipal Council, Moratuwa, not to permit the use of such material. Well done! This was not the first time that such a complaint had been made to the Authority. Another resident of Moratuwa who is specialized in community health had some years ago complained to the then Chief Minister, Western Province and the Central Environment Authority of garbage dumps, pollution of the Lunawa lagoon and the newest problem of toxic fumes emanating from battery blocks used for heating tar barrels. The CEA had sent the complainant a copy of a stereotyped letter addressed to the Chairman, Urban Council, Moratuwa, which indicated that the complaint was being forwarded to the Chairman, for investigation, necessary action and reply to the complainant. (CEA No. 07/10/umw/02/95). The UC Chairman had been "kind enough" to inform the particular contractor that a complaint has been received and that he should discontinue the use of battery blocks immediately and use firewood instead. Thus far and no further. Parkinson's law working at its best. It might interest the Central Environment Authority (if it is interested at all) to know the contractor involved in my complaint made to it on June 1, 2004 happens to be the identical one against whom the earlier complaint had been made by another party. Indeed, old habits die hard! Road work As for the quality of road work, seeing is believing. Metal mixed with copious proportions of wet soil is strewn first. No roller is used. Less tar than required and the metal is held together with the wet soil mixed with the metal. Any tar used, if at all, has no effect on soil. The following day itself the metal surfaces and once the soil is washed away completely in a few days, it would be time for another contract. And so, the game goes on. No engineer or supervisor in sight. Payments will surely be made even without retention of percentage. A deep trench down Dharmaratne Avenue dug, by the local authority a few years ago stand as a death trap with a few vehicles paying the price. Complaints have fallen on deaf ears. Indeed, some say - "Deaf Elephants"! More strength to your elbow - the MC, Moratuwa - to continue the good rapport with such contractors and more strength to your spine - the CEA - to turn a blind eye resorting to Parkinson's law of passing the buck! |
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