People's Voices

Over to you Chairman Talangama CTB Depot)

I am writing on behalf of the neighbourhood in and around the Talangama CTB Depot. There are over 100 buses garaged in this depot.

Everyday between 4 a.m. and 4.30 a.m. loudspeakers are used to call the drivers and the bus numbers.

Then from 5 a.m. till about 6 a.m., every bus starts accelerating for few minutes creating a very loud noise, disturbing the entire neighbourhood. Most of these buses keep on blowing the horns when they come near the main gate.

Some buses even create a creaky noise when coming down the Depot premises, at times some buses test even their brakes making a loud noise. The carbon monoxide that is enunciated from the buses very often settles down in most of the houses close to the depot and the black carbon layer is seen on some of the walls and inside the houses.

Apart from the above facts their is a Buddhist shrine inside the depot premises. Every morning between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. cassettes and loudspeakers are used for the chanting of prayers. On Poya days the sound is very loud and goes on for very longs hours of the day.

Affected resident

Over to you Mayoress Dehiwala/Mt. Lavinia

Some time ago land was taken by us and the road widened. A new carpet was laid and white lines were prominently marked. It was a beautiful drive for all of us.

Then the rot started soon afterwards. People on their own started to dig across for new water lines and the road was damaged.

Entering from Pamankade side squatters were allowed to build on the right side of the road. Now it has become a mini Panchikawatte. huge upstair buildings are coming up.

These are obviously illegal but electricity and water are provided. For the politician, it is simply a question of numbers. There are more on the right side than the left. So why bother.

This is the main arterial road for heavy vehicles going and coming from the South. There are hundreds passing every hour. Motorists are greeted with a huge crater at the entrance to the road from the Hospital Road side.

Weeks have passed and no road engineer has noticed this. Surely the Mayoress would have passed this several times.

There are no proper days for garbage collection. The excuse is that the vehicles are under repairs.

If so how do they provide very efficient service just before the Sinhala New Year and Christmas time?

A superb modern Municipal Complex have been built. Whatever time you go the staff is eating and wiping their hands on the curtains. It stinks of stale food.

Something extraordinary must be done as soon as possible.

D. FERNANDO, Dehiwela