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Rice our staple food, like onions and potatoes has become a political
crop with the locally produced variety of rice being retailed at around
Rs. 70 per kilo.
Ordinary consumers are told, the reason for these price hikes is due
to several bigmill owners who are closely connected to prominent
politicians forming a rice cartel to manipulate the market to maximise
their profits.
To address this burning issue, with the paddy harvesting just
commencing in the Eastern region, it would be a meaningful act to
implement a system where bagged paddy is sold directly to consumers in
all parts of the island including the plantations at a reasonable price
above the fixed purchase price of between Rs. 18 to Rs. 22 per kilo.
This will immediately prompt all those closed small rice processing
mills in villages and towns to commence operations, and many will invest
in mini rice processing mills which can be imported from China, Thailand
India and the Philippines to set up in the Urban areas, existing
grinding mills operators and estate sectors also can install small
mills.
Besides creating hundreds of employment opportunities and the State
banks being relieved of investing a large amount of funds to store
paddy, this method will solve the large amount of paddy being thrown
away at the end of each season as not fit enough for human consumption,
fraudulent scandles and pilferage taking place, finding warehouse for
storing etc.
By-products collected from these processing mills can be used as an
ingredient for poultry, cattle and piggery feed, or can be used as dust
fuel in many of those recently invented domestic hearths/burners. Co-ops
around the country and nominated dealers with adequate storage facility
can handle sales of paddy of different grades and quality.
The Post Harvest Institute at Anuradhapura can play a key role to
train small time millers, On processing rice and maintenance of
machinery, its also an opportunity to promote consumption of rice flour.
Big mill owners processing superior quality rice could sell their
produce at a price in Supermarkets or any outlets to the upper-market
consumers.
NAHEER TAIP – Wattala
Your readers would be surprised to hear that the residents of
Panadura receive their mail every other day, whereas there were two
deliveries daily about four or five years ago.
If there is a delivery on Thursday and Friday happens to be a public
holiday, we receive our mail on Monday. It is most disgusting when
sometimes urgent and important letters are delayed in this manner.
I spoke to the postman and he says that the number of houses have
increased and therefore the volume of letters have doubled and it is
impossible to cover his whole area daily. I met the Post Master too who
confirmed the same.
In fact he further explained that repeated requests for additional
staff have fallen on deaf ears. I highlighted this matter in the
‘Letters to the Editor’ column, and it appeared in the Daily News of
22.02.2006.
Exactly two years ago and the problem remains unsolved. Will the
P.M.G. and the Minister please look into this matter? It will be of
great relief to the residents, and to a certain extent solve the
unemployment problem too.
RANJITH GAMINI PERERA – Panadura
According to information available, elephants are being killed, while
very recently one in young has also been shot dead, which is extremely
pathatic. The above unfortunate situation needs a permanent solution
prior to the extinction of these majestic animals from our country,
which only timely action would prevent.
The above majestic and graceful animals are a pride to our country,
hence should be protected from being eliminated, in the above
disgraceful manner, thereby reducing their numbers in a very speedy
manner. To prevent the above from happening, a proper constructive,
effective permanent solution should be implemented immediately.
If the above is not possible, is it not better for us to give away
these animals to those who are interested in having them, instead of
allowing them to be eliminated in the above manner? The above is similar
to the attitude of a dog in a manger, accordingly, is it not better to
allow them to live rather than allowing them to be killed
indiscriminately as presently done.
When foreigners come from all over the world to see these wonderful
animals, we are so blind, ignorant and unfortunate to destroy them, a
valuable asset to our country, not realising their importance to a
country like ours specially considering their importance in the
performance in religious functions, specially the Dalada Perahera, for
which these animals are a must.
Let us respect their right to live, and save these majestic animals
who are beauties from the present untimely cruel deaths, for which an
urgent solution is essential.
TOMMY WANIGESINGHE – Kurunegala
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