Pollution who cares?

Tissa JAYAWEERA

POLLUTION: Pollution is a topic spoken in all parts of the world these days. Melting ice, global warming, green belts, emissions.

Even countries like India, Bangladesh, Nepal have taken Pollution serious and are taking measures to combat Pollution. Clean Air Acts are in force in most countries

One bold step taken in the recent past is the banning of Polythene less than 20 Microns. In my numerous travels to various parts of the world I have not come across this type of thin polythene.

Let it be thin Polythene or thick Polythene the public must be made aware of use and disposal methods for all types of Trash. Over here in Lanka any material, polythene, paper or even a banana leaf is not disposed of intelligently.

There is a lack of disposal means and responsibility for disposal. Trash bags are seldom used and utensils for disposal of trash are scares in public places.

Roadside boutiques and places of business do not have trashcans. Supermarkets do not have a trash can to dispose of unwanted receipts.

Anuradapura, Polonaruwa, Kataragama attract a lot of local tourists who come in busloads. They camp and cook in any place that they think suitable.

Fires are built to cook, even the boulders collected to make the fireplace are not returned to original position.

Sometimes the fire too is not doused and may be resulting in bush fires, which go unnoticed, endangering Fauna and Flora. Garbage cans are a rear sight in these places. Any convenient place is a garbage dump.

I was told by some American friend of mine who walked from Liberty Plaza to American Embassy that there was a large dump of smelly garbage at 1100 in the morning next to Kollupitiya Police and no one seems to be bothered about the smell and pollution.

Temple Trees the official residence of the President is just 50m away. Garbage is a problem for all countries but intelligence is overcoming the problem

Dumping of Garbage on the Street is a regular feature in Lanka. Biggest offenders being the so called affluent people in Colombo, their servants dump garbage on the street. Garbage dumps are the breading ground for disease. Animals feed on it. Crows and other birds carry it all over and drop them in various parts of the country.

The crow population has increased and other small birds have decreased as crows dominate the trees.

An Englishman who worked with us once told me, no wonder Beef in this country is hard as cattle feed on garbage, polythene, cement bags etc.

This country still uses the method of landfill for disposal. Landfill too has certain regulations. The regulations of disposal are not being followed by the Municipal Councils and Urban Councils or by persons using garbage as landfill.

The MC and UC that is supposed to monitor landfill itself flout the law. We have Dengue, Chickungunya, Diphtheria, Typhoid. You name it we have it. What action is being taken to prevent repetition or reinfection. Only noise by Members of MCs, UCs and politicians during an outbreak.

Walk the streets of the country and observe how unhygienic the environment is and how this country encourages all these diseases. Mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, rats are a part of the family in Paradise

This country not only has pollution by garbage, polythene but has sound, dust and emission.

Sound Pollution is caused by the unrestricted use of horn by literate but uneducated drivers of busses who blast their extra loud horns at bus stops and while moving.

I sometimes wonder if they are helping the MCs and UCs to get rid of flies and mosquitoes as they blast the horn for no reason. Police are not bothered. Not only the drivers of busses and container carriers, some motorists too use the horn indiscriminately.

Some of the drivers or police and forces vehicles too use the horn indiscriminately. In the old days when the Police, MCs, UCs was administered by gentlemen there ware many silent zones.

Schools, courts, hospitals, major government departments were silent zones. Hardly any silent zones are seen these days. I was once in the Colombo Court Complex and heard the horn being used within the premise many times. None seem to be bothered as it is a common occurrence

The other offenders of sound pollution are the religious institutions, which disturb the peace from 0500 in the morning and again at dusk. I once wrote an article religion and pollution.

There were many letters to the media on the disturbance caused by these institutions to the public but this disturbance goes on and on. Pirith is supposed to bless but this high noise emitted by recorded Pirith for one hour bring curses every morning.

No wonder this country is cursed and not blessed by Pirith for peace and prosperity. Instead of recorded Pirith, the high priests of all Temples can at 0600 each morning chant a blessing for 10 minutes to bring peace and prosperity to the country

The biggest offender is vehicle emission. I invite those responsible to walk 100 meters on Galle Road or now on Duplication Road or any busy road at around 1830 in the evening, insert a white handkerchief in the nostril clean the inside and observe the amount of black soot found on the cloth. This is what is seen by the eye. How about the Carbon Monoxide, Nitrous Oxide and Sulphur Dioxide emitted by vehicles that is being breathed in.

US, UK, Australia is moving in to clean air buses working on LPG / LNG. Even counties like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan who depend on the poor man's transport the threewheeler, do not allow any threewheelers in to city, Unless they operate on LNG.

In a country that is highly corrupt the emission certificate can be obtained without the vehicle ever being subject to testing.

So was the fitness certificate that was required for heavy vehicles some time ago. So was the driver's license to be renewed every five years after a certification of the person as fit by a medical practitioner

Another big menace is posters. High time Laws are passed to prevent posters defacing anything standing. Posters on walls of public places, private places, death notices being pasted on expensive road signs.

CMC spends millions each year washing down posters. The political parties as well as advertising agencies must be made to pay for damages for defacing.

Politicians, people have protest marches, campaigns when someone is hanged in another country. A waste of productive time, energy and money. Instead it is time the politicians lead campaigns to educate people for the benefit of people, animals, plants and environment

The rest of the world is adjusting. There is talk and talk in Paradise but no progressive action. We bounce between the 3rd and 4th world not to the NIC world.