• Coal power at last?

• S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike on peace

• Pill as cure?

Coal power at last?

The finalisation of an agreement with a Chinese consortium to build the much awaited coal power station is most welcome at a time when the price of a barrel of oil has reached US$ 71 mark.

It is noted that the gestation period to commission the plant is four years but knowing the capabilities of Chinese engineers and technicians, I am certain that it is possible to commission the plant much earlier provided local technocrats and bureaucrats do their part without dragging their feet and hindering the progress.

I understand that initially 300 MW to be the installed capacity of the plant. I hope after commissioning 300 MW, work will follow to elevate the installed capacity to 600 MW and then to 900 MW by 2012.

This is paramount at a time when future of the oil market is uncertain and oil based electricity generation becomes highly vulnerable and prohibitive, cost wise. Availability of adequate coal power will ensure electrification of suburban railways with an electrified railway system it is possible to reduce the operational and maintenance costs by around 50 percent whilst providing an efficient, reliable and faster service to the commuters.

Remember, that eminent engineer Mr. Wimalasurendra advocated development of hydro-electricity and to operate electric trains and trolley buses way back in early forties. My projections for the electricity generation (MW) up to 2015 are as follows:

Hydro (major) 2000

Hydro (mini/micro) 200

Coal 1200

Combained Cycle 1000

Dendro 200

Electricity generated through incineration of garbage as done in

Singapore and developed countries 100

Total 4700

I am not sure how these projections compare with those of the planning engineers of CEB but I am optimistic they are achievable.

Nihal Cooray, Ratmalana

S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike on peace

The 46th death anniversary of the late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranike, the political leader who changed the course of the history of the country was yesterday.

His name goes to the annals of the history as the first politician to rid the country of the colonial tentacles, which subsequently paved the way for the birth of a society based on values rooted in our socio-cultural set up. The insight he showed in addressing the problems prevalent then supersedes the time he lived in and throws light on to the issues the country is confronted with today.

For him "peace does not consist of a mere absence of war. Peace is something more positive than that". He firmly believed that war, unlike in the past where problems were solved by it without any serious repercusions, 'would mean the destruction of all mankind.

There will be no victors or vanquished; we will all perish together." Though the context in which he expressed these ideas are quite different they are food for us to analytically think of the existing situation of the country and provide an impetus for us to decide on what we must strive to achieve in the peace process.

Although his genuine efforts made to usher in peace for the country were thwarted by his political opponents on several occasions, he emphasised on the importance of a machinery that could be used for this purpose.

The principles of that machinery can be traced in the text of the convocation address he delivered at the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya in 1957. "I feel that, as never before in our history we have to recognize the dignity and brotherhood of man, that we are all one, whatever may be our religion, colour or race or ideology.

We cannot permit our dislikes of one another, racial, ideological, linguistic, economic, social or otherwise, to reach the point when we feel that we cannot live together."

These words seem to flatly contradict his critics attempt to colour him as a chauvinist, and they actually signify his positive views on plurality and multiculturalism. And what he tried to adopt is oneness that transcends all religious, philosophical or ideological barriers. According to him, it is brotherhood of people that could create peace in the society. What is ironical is the fact that those who criticise him for his language policy are the direct products of the changes he introduced.

He sensed the danger of war lurking in the world and once said that we have to 'wage' 'Total Peace' in its own way. He also pointed out the fact that waging total peace is more difficult than waging total war. These views themselves are testimony of his in-depth understanding of the necessity of peace not only for the whole world in general but also for the country in particular. Concerning the situation prevalent in the world then, he went on to say that despite the potentialities for the great advances for the human race there were possibilities of untold conflict, minor harm and destruction.

His ideas of peace will hold validity for the present situation of the country as well. "Therefore, in this world where peace becomes so necessary, not merely desirable but becomes starkly necessary, not merely for advance but for the bare survival of the human race, peace occupies a more overshadowing position today in the world than it ever did in the past. The waging of total peace becomes absolutely necessary - not merely desirable - but absolutely necessary for our bare survival.

Not only did he emphatically pronounce the importance of waging total peace, but also aired his views on the political machinery and the principles that could be evolved for the purpose. Though he knew that it was rather difficult for us all to agree each other, he strived hard to drive the very fact into our minds that without understanding each other, appreciating each other's points of view and realising the particular difficulties and contexts where these difficulties arise, peace would only be a very distant hope. As pointed out by him what we need today more than anything else is the mutual understanding among the communities.

His democratic values on peace are contained in the words that "while we agree to disagree with each other we agree to work as fellow human beings." His thoughts on peace seem to have been greatly influenced by the Buddhist doctrine. "We are still greedy, we are still stubborn, we are still prejudiced.

One race think it is superior to the other. One religion thinks that its faith alone is necessary for salvation and that all others must suffer in some form or other. One group thinks that they alone are right and all others are wrong. The two main evils are these; greed and fear. It is not easy to root them out. It is a lengthy process but the achievement of peace in practice must depend upon the rooting out or the reduction of these evil ways of some of mankind."

He understood the gravity of the problem of different races that inhabit our country. According to him the only sensible way to deal with the problem is the preservation of the legitimate rights of the majority while extending full justice to the minorities. He tried hard to work towards this goal. It was not his lack of will that caused the failure of his attempts, but the political forces which operated against his political vision.

It is really heartening to see that the president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, having correctly understood this ground reality and being guided and inspired by the ideology of her father, is deeply involved in this rigorous work of finding an everlasting solution to the national problem. We hope her persistent efforts to bring in peace for the country will usher in a new era.

P. A. D. ANIL, Veyangoda

Pill as cure?

The Daily News recently reported that a leading private hospital has acquired the facility of laser treatment for those suffering from prostrate gland enlargement.

While it is comforting news for those who are suffering from this ailment, I wish to point out that I have newspaper cuttings (readers' letters) dating back to August and September 1990 where there is reference to a pill called Chandraprabha Vatika which is said to cure this ailment. This pill taken with Neeramulli water has been described as a proved remedy by a number of readers.

It would serve a useful purpose if an Ayurvedic medical officer enlightens the readers as to the efficacy of this drug, where it could be bought and how best it should be administered.

V. K. Wijeratna, Panadura