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Global warming and rapid urbanisation has resulted in an increase in
environmental temperature making life uncomfortable to many of us. High
rise buildings and houses being built close to each other have blocked
air flow resulting in poor ventilation and the reflected heat from other
buildings make the temperature to go up around us.
If we recall the situation 20 years ago, the level of comfort that
existed then is no longer there today.
Today most offices, commercial buildings and affluent house owners
have air conditioners installed but ordinary people just have to bear
the sweltering heat. Air conditioning requires buildings to be made air
tight and consumes a lot of electricity resulting in high electricity
bills. Air conditioning is not an energy efficient solution as it
consumes quite a lot of energy.
Ceiling fans also are not a solution as they merely re-circulates hot
air trapped inside a room.
Many Australian houses have a low cost cooling system called
evaporative cooling where air from outside is cooled using water and the
cool air is blown through ducts in to the rooms of a house.
The windows of the house could be kept open and this system requires
a ducting system and an evaporative cooler which is a very low cost, low
technology alternative to air conditioning. It is worthwhile to explore
whether similar systems are suitable for countries like ours.
It is time that local engineers and architects give some thought to
innovate a system that suits our climate to keep buildings cool. With
the rising energy costs, a system of high efficiency and low running
cost is needed to make temperatures inside houses and buildings
comfortable for us.
K.G.E. –
Nugegoda
This is an actual situation my wife Lilanthi and I faced on a certain
Thursday morning at around 7.40. We had dropped our son at school at
Havelock town and were on our way to our office in Nugegoda. We usually
take the Polhengoda Road and then take a left turn at the Kirulapona
Cemetery and take the old road to Nugegoda avoiding High Level Road.
When we were approaching the Siebel Avenue junction I notice a blue
three-wheeler behind me coming at high speed few meters ahead. I had to
suddenly applied the brakes as the car in front suddenly breaked due to
some obstruction.
I heard the Bajaj braking behind with the noise of its wheel
screeching and coming to a halt at an angle almost knocking the vehicle
which was going in the opposite direction.
I was enjoying the morning breeze having my shutters down, so I could
hear all noises around me including the Bajaj driver shouting. I stopped
for a few seconds and had a look at the mirrors and since no one hit any
one we proceeded along the route.
It was when I was taking the left turn at the Kirulapona Cemetery
that I noticed that this Bajaj was coming behind me at break neck speed
trying to overtake me on both sides.
Due to the heavy traffic both ways and since the road was narrow he
just could not overtake my car though he tried his best. Just before the
railway crossing he abandoned his Bajaj and came running behind my car
banging on the sides threatening me to pullover and shouting to the
onlookers that I had knocked down a child and was getting away.
By then I had put up my shutters and locked all doors and this fellow
was banging on the windows trying to break and get in to the vehicle.
Finally, the traffic was so slow that I could not move faster than
him who was running with the car and he grabbed a huge stone and stood
in front of the car leaving me no choice but to stop.
He used all the filth on us and got us to reverse to a side lane
after which I got down and confronted him face to face. When I inquired
from him what his problem was, he abused and threatened both of us in
filth claiming that I hit his bajaj and his child got thrown away and
demanded that we follow him to the place of the incident.
He also was shouting to the onlookers and claiming that this was a
hit and run making sure no one came to our rescue.
At this moment my wife dialled ‘119’ and seeing this he shouted and
said that he would kill us even later, if we tell the police and he took
a snapshot of the car with his mobile phone. He also dialled a few
numbers and gave some instructions.
By now it was clear to us that this fellow was trying a fast one but
without any other choice I agreed to come to the place of the incident
and followed him back thinking that I could find a getaway through
Siebel Avenue.
Traffic was very heavy towards the city and he was marching in front
abandoning his Bajaj (later only we realised that his Bajaj had a flat
tire). By this time my wife dialled ‘119’ and they informed us that the
cops are already manning the junction at the Kirulapona Cemetery and to
go to them directly.
We were much relieved to see the cops at the junction and with their
help apprehend the fellow and took him to the Kirulapona Police.
When the culprit realised that he was been cornered he pleaded with
us not to take him to the cops. If we did not come across any police
personnel and if the bajaj did not have a flat tyre the matter might
have ended differently.
The prompt attention given by police ‘119’ should be commended.
Special mention has to be made regarding a police officer (who is
from the Kurunegala police and had been assigned for special duty in the
city) who quickly analysed the situation and apprehended the culprit.
There are organised gangs who are operating in the city trying to
extract money from motorist by cornering them. Be aware of them and try
not to use narrow roads and always keep your doors locked and the
shutters up whenever possible.
Janaka MUTUCUMARANA
This is with reference to the letter published in the Daily News of
17.3.2008 under the Citizens Mail by the Waste Management Unit of the
Central Environmental Authority under the above heading in response to
my letter of 14.2.2008 which appeared under the caption ‘Garbage poses
security threat’.
Dumping of garbage on a land opposite the Panadura Railway Station by
the Panadura Urban Council has been going on for a long period.
As stated in the above letter of the CEA, if the Panadura Urban
Council is the responsible authority of the management of solid waste in
their jurisdiction under the regulation of the Urban Council Ordinance
they should have come up with a solution and thereafter enlist the
support of the city dwellers to implement same but they have so far
failed to do so.
The mountain of garbage accumulated at the said place is still there
with no action being taken to dispose same. As the Council was dissolved
last January by the Chief Minister, Western Provincial Council for
maladministration and the Divisional Secretary, Panadura appointed as
the Special Commissioner to administer the affairs of the Council, it is
now up to him to solve the garbage problem by making use of the offer
made by the CEA under the ‘Pilisaru’ programme inaugurated by the
Government. It is hoped that he would do so early.
H.W. GOONESEKERA -
Panadura
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