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Supplement Kurahan with rice

With a global food crisis emerging in the horizon, the State should encourage the cultivation of other crops such as Kurahan. Kurahan being more nutritious than rice, was consumed by our predecessors in preference to rice in by-gone days.

It could be consumed with minimal curries and even a Gravy or 'Hodi' would suffice in times of adversity. In addition the jak tree planting campaign should be intensified and publicity given to its potential as a substantial item of food since it was known in times of yore as 'Bath Gaha'.

Since nutriment is indispensable for existence, the development of agriculture should get precedence over other projects at this critical juncture. Agriculture should be introduced to the school's curriculum and its necessity stressed, in view of the global food shortage that is appearing at this stage.

Land should be allocated to the schools, in the NCP, NWP, Uva and Sabaragamuwa, (Where there is arable land) for the children to engage in practical agriculture and to realise its importance for man's existence over other spheres such as computer literacy and IT knowledge, since knowledge per se cannot produce food.

Thus survival would depend on the enthronement of the farmer as the important person in the community. Furthermore, the farmers should be encouraged to use bio fertiliser thereby cutting production costs, reducing environmental damage and health hazards, whilst at the same time ensuring the output of a more nutritious product.

A news item in the Daily News of April 24 stated that a model cultivation in Deewillagedara succeeded in obtaining 130 bushels of paddy from one acre sans chemical manure or insecticides. Since Lanka is abounding in green manure there is no reason to place much reliance on chemical fertiliser like countries lacking in greenery and water.

J.C. BOANGE,
Rajagiriya


Merciless acts by nurses

We learned that nurses in public hospitals went on a strike without any mercy for patients including children and the elderly. This is totally unacceptable.

It is over a very simple matter - a transfer of a stupid nurse. No nurse had cared for the innocent children and the elderly who died as a result of this unwanted stupid strike supported by stupid nurses.

In my opinion no country should hire this kinds of stupid nurses, a bunch of arrogant unqualified workers who are on the pay roll of the public money. They should not be hired by any sensible agent or any other country.

We heard that the Government had plans to send these stupid nurses to the USA. They should not be sent to the USA for it would surely bring shame to Mother Lanka.

Now further, media reports say that these stupid nurses had locked up the drug cabinets and kept the keys with them allowing people to die at the hospital.

If that is true, why on earth was there no sensible Sri Lankan who had the courage to break the cabinets and get the drugs in order to saving lives? How come these nurses act like animals? This is happening only in Sri Lanka and it is a shame to everyone. Over to you Health Minister, please clean up the mess.

JAYASIRI DESHABANDU


Security and tuition classes

I quite understand the problem regarding the security of children attending tuition classes. I met quite a few sudents around, Nawala and Nugegoda who attend these classes and by talking to them, I found they are so keen, to study and that is why they attend these extra tuition classes. I have two web sites dedicated for educating these GCSE and GCE Advanced Level students.

The subject is Chemistry and the levels are GCSE and Advanced Level. If anybody wished to take long distance learning or tuition then they are welcomed to my websites. There are lots of advantages of this kind of learning or tuition.

The work is made and sent to their individual computers while they are able to attend other things. They do not have to attend these tuition classes or queues, travel up and down, make notes in tiring conditions, after a hard day at the school.

Sometimes they are without any drink such as clean water, hardly anything to eat other than a quick snack from tons of takeaways. I have seen some students trail along the road even after 8.00 p.m, with their school uniforms, bags dandling down, with weary feet, on dusty streets with traffic jams.

I can do something, I can help them by sending a few lessons through the Internet. The lessons are written on individual basis, to justify their standard and exam targetted. There is no copying, no need to practice their hand writing that is what they do at some of these tuition classes.

With 60 or 100 students in a packed class what can they do? I met a driver whose daughter was attending a school in Kotahena and he said, he pays around Rs 800 for four lessons per month.

He implies that money's not quite the question but the other things, I am sure security is one of them. If anybody would like to have access to two websites, please email me on [email protected] My aim is to help the children learn.

DR HECTOR PERERA


Neglected roads

This is with reference to a letter of Rohana Soysa which appeared under the Citizens' Mail in the Daily News of April 17 in response to my letter of March 14 and V.K. Wijeratna's letter of March 27 which also appeared under the same column on the respective dates.

If as stated in Soysa's letter, payment of salaries to staff engaged outside the cadre has resulted in the Panadura Urban Council not having funds for repairing of roads, it is up to the Special Commissioner to apprise the Chief Minister of the Western Provincial Council of the situation and request for some funds for this purpose.

It should be noted that the UC has an obligation towards the rate payers for maintenance of roads. In this connection I may mention that the majority of vehicle owners within the UC limits are permanent residents of this area.

They pay the annual revenue licence fees in respect of their vehicles to the Divisional Secretariat, Panadura.

This revenue goes to the Provincial Council. Hence, I wish to suggest that the Panadura Divisional Secretary, Special Commissioner UC pursue with the Chief Minister and obtain a part of the revenue collected by the PC to be utilised for the repair of the damaged roads supposed to be maintained by the UC or get the Provincial RDA to attend to the repairs.

H.W. GOONESEKERA


Garbage problem

May I draw the attention of the Municipal authorities in Kandy to the neglect of removing debris from the Peradeniya Road, Mulgampola.

Bags of rubbish pile up in front of each house and shop lying along the Peradeniya Road. Sometimes, it takes more than 7 days to clear the mountains of garbage. As a result, an obnoxious smell is emitted which can be detrimental to the health of the people. So please take prompt action.

M. Y. M. MEEADHU

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