Beira Lake turns into a 'big stink'

COLOMBO: The Beira Lake turned a cynosure, a centre of attraction of both local and foreign tourists with the restoring programme initiated amidst a lot of bickering, back-biting and in-fights within the rank and file, in addition to others by the then Urban Development Minister Mangala Samaraweera, the present Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Once, neglected piece of land with gushing waters, it was a centre of attraction specially at times when the Upasampada ceremony of the Samaneras (Higher Ordination) takes place at the Simamalakaya set up in the centre of the Lake.

With the re-development of the Beira Lake and its surroundings many unauthorised structures were removed while the Nawaloka hospital, many State and private sector institutions remained there serving the public. And it added to their pride to be a part of the Lake and enjoy the breeze.

But today it is the other way about. People passing the Beira Lake and officers working in the apartments and those who virtually live by the Lake, hate to be there because of the 'big stink' emanating from the waters. Some claim that the herons who happily did their rounds and fed on the fish, may die after eating the rotten fish.

All this change in a matter of a few years.

The commitment and the dedication shown by Minister Samaraweera in turning the Beira Lake into a place of attraction and recreation has gone with the wind.

The people passing by ask why and who will answer them. Mayor of Colombo it is time to get down to work calling the attention of the Urban Development Ministry to bring back the beauty of the Lake.