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| Thursday, 19 August 2004 |
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Call to implement Rs. 50 spot fine on garbage strewers "The number of dengue patients is on the rise and naturally a huge amount of money is spent on awareness programs to combat this life threatening illness. The medical authorities are doing their best to identify the disease and to treat the patients the best way possible. It has now become a known fact that the major breeding sites of this mosquitoes are yoghurt cups, ice cream cups, bottle caps, shopping bags, tyres, coconut shells wherever the clean water stagnate even in small quantities for a few days after rain. The authorities therefore tell the public that they should get rid of such items from their gardens. What people do is to remove the garbage from their homes and throw it on to the roadside. What the authorities and the public do not realise is that even on the roadside mosquitoes can use the above mentioned waste material as excellent breeding sites. If anyone is truly interested in solving the problem, then the provision of a fine of Rs. 50 by the Public Nuisance Ordinance of 1932 should be implemented. The hazardous waste items in which mosquitoes can breed will be removed by each household by either burying, burning or by disciplining themselves not to buy such items at the store. Even though the urgency of this fine has been spoken for a number of years, none of the Governments who have been in the past, or who are at present in power have given thought to it. In fact during the Kandy perahera because the public were made aware of the provisions in the Public Nuisance Ordinance that we managed to keep the Kandy Lake relatively clean both in the years 2003 and 2004. When we know what should be done to solve a problem, it is a shame to go on ignoring the true solution, simply because it does not bring any monetary gain for those involved. Dengue is a real problem. Several children have lost their lives. It is hard to correct the people of Sri Lanka because of their rigid selfish ways. So the best answer so far is the Rs. 50 spot fine for anyone who throw bags of garbage on the roadside. The Police, The Public Health Inspectors are the best persons for collecting the spot fines. An incentive should be made available for those involved in collecting the spot fines. Knowing that we should take decisions for the betterment of our nation, let us say YES to the Rs. 50 spot fine for anyone throwing garbage on the roadside," states Dr. (Mrs) Ajantha Perera, Founder, National Program on Recycling of Solid Waste in a press release. |
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