People’s Voices

Over to you Mayoress, Dehiwala-Mt. Lavinia MC

I agree wholeheartedly with D. Fernando who had written to the Daily News on October 10, about the carpeted road from Pamankade, being now damaged, and squatters being allowed to build illegally on the right side of the road.

Tarred roads are being damaged, illegal buildings given assessment numbers, electricity, water service etc., causing narrowing of the roads. Can people encroach on Municipal roads?

What are the engineers, their staff, Municipal Commissioner, and last but not least, the Mayoress doing about these things. Aren’t they ashamed to see such unlawful activities taking place under their very eyes?

Corruption is rampant in the Dehiwala-Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council, and as Mr. Fernando says, inside this superb modern Municipal Council, standing out majestically on the Galle Road, Dehiwala, the staff is lethargic and indifferent.

You oil their palms and ‘hey-presto’, the most illegal acts will be authorised.

When the mayoress wanted our votes she trudged along the roads, in the hot sun, wearing a green cap, visiting each house, hands folded in greeting, promising a better deal to the already oppressed rate-payers.

But now, travelling in her luxury car, does she not see the damage done to the tarred roads by residents for their own gain, the pot-holes thus caused, the unauthorised shanties that have been erected encroaching on the specified width of the roads, the uncleared drains, smelling and stinking, breeding mosquitoes galore, and the heaps of garbage.

You ring up the MOH’s office regarding the cleaning of the drains, and a female voice answers “Our drain gang is busy. We have no one now. I’ll inform the PHI.” The PHI of the area very close to the Municipality is absolutely rude. I felt it is better to stomach the stench from the drains, rather than the venom of his low vocabulary.

Even legal orders are not carried out. If you happen to know personally the ‘high ups’, or sometimes, even the so-called ‘small fry’, anything could be done - right or wrong. Do these officers not have a conscience. No amount of phone calls, personal visits, can make them attend to matters promptly.

We need straightforward law-abiding officers who could attend to rate-payers’ justifiable complaints honestly.

I know of a case where an unauthorised shanty on a Municipal road has over the years got electricity, water service, assessment number etc. and has encroached on over 8 feet of the motorable tarred Municipal road, and has even put up a permanent boundary wall demarcating it to their own specifications, thus enabling the ‘owner’ to carry on nefarious activities, in a very respectable neighbourhood.

The Municipal Council officers turn a blind eye in spite of the protests. What are the road engineers doing? The Dehiwela-Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council needs a thorough cleaning up from top to bottom.

FELIX DE SILVA
Kalubowila

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Speedy action assured from Presidential Secretariat

This is with reference to the front page picture that appeared in the Daily News on May 2007 of the very dangerous breach that has occurred in the Kelani River bund near Udana Mawatha Gonawala.

Reader Nandalal Perera has written on Friday the 21st instant under your column. ‘Over to you Mr. President and Minister of Highways’ stating that no action has been taken by the relevant authorities even after almost four months since your article appeared.

Whilst thanking you for highlighting the above matter, we would also like to inform you that the President has instructed the relevant authorities to take action immediately.

LALITH SEPALA RATNAYAKE
Snr. Asst. Secretary to the President