Over to you Traffic Police

As one travels on the roads of Grater Colombo, one begins to wonder whether in Colombo there is a speed limit.

Huge monster like buses speed as if they own the road.

Reports from various correspondents state that some of these buses have been involved in fatal accidents.

Can these culprits bring back those lives?

Also big vans/cars totally contradictory to Sri Lanka’s economy perhaps because of the 1977 Open Economy, symbols of the new rich, also speed.

Not to mention the two/three wheelers. All these not only speed but also overtake on all sides, also move from line to line. Should not the City Traffic Police Book these?

Over to the Traffic Police.

SYDNEY KNIGHT – Rajagiriya

Over to you Chairman WB

A household in Moratuwa consists of four senior citizens who are pensionless. Two of the male members being out most of the days, water is used very sparingly by the senior ladies at home.

Besides using the water service, the inmates use water from their ancestral well for bathing, washing linen and dish washing.

In absolute honesty, pipe borne water is used for drinking and flushing besides watering a vegetable plot in the home garden when there is no rain. the scenario being thus, from time immemorial, the water consumption metered bill monthly worked up to an average Rs. 72 as evinced by the Water Board (WB) office records.

Strange enough, ‘Like a bolt from the blue’ the current metered water bill indicated Rs. 3,000.

A close inspection of the water-meter after ensuring the closure of every water tap, never activated the meter confirming that there is no underground water leakage.

It had then been admitted by the area engineer that the said house situated on a hill-top cause the meter to activate due to the force of air generated in the pipeline soon after water service is resumed to householders after a period of closure or stoppage of water.

Even if air activates the meter for sometime as explained, it is unthinkable and beyond one’s imagination how an average monthly bill of Rs. 72 could escalate ‘Himalayan heights’ indicating an air service bill to add up to Rs. 3,000.

The customer is in a practical dilemma whether the sky high amount billed according to the water tariff or Water Board air tariff.

If it is a ruse adopted to fleece cash in this manner,it is deplorable. A crime crying for vengeance from heaven.

C. L. TERENCE FERNANDO - Moratuwa