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The brilliant invention by a Sri Lankan engineer Thushara Edirisinghe,
which we believe will eventually lead to alleviation of poverty in Sri
Lanka.
According to the article he believes he has invented a car running
with water, which means our dependency on oil will be diminished thus
ensuring that as a nation we will be marching towards prosperity.
I read the article with interest and perused the other newspapers
today to get more information, but to my greatest disappointment there
was no information about this invention.
I immediately felt how we treat our intelligentsia.
Our Science and Technology Minister should meet this inventor and
discuss further and give the fullest support for him to continue his
work, specially a time where the oil prices are soaring.
Our country had many exceptionally brilliant engineers and scientists
who have done wonders in other parts of the world but in our own
country, they were not cared for. How many scientists and engineers are
in political positions? The former Indian President was a nuclear
engineer. We should also have more technocrats in our Parliament.
Most of our best brains have left the country as they were not given
due recognition and assistance.
What a waste but again who cares? I am not surprised if a foreign
country might approach Thushara and offer support for his invention.
P. S.
The carpeting of the Peradeniya Road has made it a very dangerous
racing track, especially to the mania drivers plying this congested and
heavily traffic road. The congestion is mainly from the Kandy clock
tower to the Peradeniya bridge which is approximately a distance of four
miles.
There are two cinema halls, one nursing home, nine Government
schools, one international school, one college, one super- market,
thirteen channelling centres, six famous dress boutiques, two large
famous mega store, four large tutories, six prominent places of worship
and three prominent banks in this short distance.
I hope these qualifications will be sufficient to enter the Guiness
Book of records. A few years ago a student was knocked and killed
opposite the school main gate. There was pandemonium as the road was
closed temporarily since the students took the law into their hands, as
the mob went berserk by torching the bus.
The situation was brought under control only after the police who
came into the scene were compelled to teargas and disperse the unruly
crowd.
There is a saying that prevention is better than cure. The Road
Development Authority should act fast by installing speed bumps at
several prominent places immediately. This is the only remedy to control
the speeding traffic to a very great extent, before any major tragedy
occurs. Road Development Authority should act fast and do the needful as
the sooner you do it, the better it is as many lives could be saved.
LI KUANG SHU -
Kandy
If what has been written in the columns of Daily News on ‘Traffic and
road indiscipline’ over the past few years has been taken note by those
who matter roads certainly would have been a much safer place for
public, lower accidents and unfortunately and strangely traffic offences
are on the increase with new innovations coming to play.
Trishaw taxis have undoubtedly become the most popular mode of
transport for the common man and majority of trishaw drivers are good
citizens and during times of national disasters, it is they who take the
lead in caring for the wounded.
Unfortunately, this sector is not regulated and the few who thrive in
this lawless environment bring disrespect to the majority who are
essentially do gooders.
Given the system, these taxis are not required to install meters and
the rates are quoted arbitrarily thus exploiting the innocent public
most of whom greatly depend on this source for most of their needs such
as schooling, transporting the sick, transport of goods etc.
Why is the authorities showing a blind eye to this great social
injustice? Its also no secret that most of these drivers do not possess
licences are also ignorant of traffic rules.
Latest law breakers are motor cyclists who quite freely ride on the
pavements at great risk to poor pedestrians. It is a pathetic site to
see these people do this in break neck speed some times with their
spouses and children on the pillion, I am yet to see any law being
enforced on these errant law breakers. At traffic lights its quite
common for another category of law breakers to overtake from the left
and block the pedestrian crossings.
Another situation that has been most often reported in these columns
and yet goes on unchecked is the Traffic Police officers intervene among
traffic lights and cause havoc at great risk to motorists and
pedestrians.
For a motorist at a busy intersection use the red ligt as the ‘Go’ is
quite risky and he is kept guessing. Policemen continue to do this
through genuin intentions and at great cost of energy due to poor
training and the lack of understanding of the available technology.
Its humanly impossible for a person to control traffic at busy
intersections as he just cannot look at four directions. This a matter
for the Senior Police Officers to observe and take corrective action.
Net result of these controllable lapses are fatal accidents,
injuries, waste of fuel, loss of man hours, traffic jams and great
social injustice to innocent minority who conform to the laws.
SUNIL KARUNANAYAKE -
Colombo 8
It is an unpleasant scene of pavement business in main cities like
Colombo and Kandy. It is extremely an impediment to pedestrians who dash
against others while rushing along the pavement.
The Municipal authorities should at once visit such pavements and
realise the necessity of removing the temporary sales structures.
Besides, the goods sold at the pavement sales seem to be low in
qualities - sometimes, the damaged items or expired medicines are sold
at cheap rates by attracting the passers by.
Hence, the people can be protected from such quacks who sell low
quality items.
It is my belief that the pavement sales structures must be dismantled
in the best interest of the consumers in the country.
M.Y.M. MEEADH -
Kandy
The hills of Balangoda and other areas in the hill country are set on
fire by cattle owners to burn the mature mana grass and produce new
growth for their cattle. Sometimes the culprits are mischief makers who
enjoy the blaze.
In the process they destroy hundreds of acres of valuable vegitation,
economic plantations and the general eco-system inhibiting the growth of
shrubs and other natural ground cover essential to preserve and develop
fertility of the soil. Consequent erosion depletes the soil further.
This practice appears to be accepted by state officials, estate
owners and residents in these areas as ‘inevitable natural disasters’
and no effort is made to halt these crimes. These fires are always
deliberate acts of arson.
The immediate cost to the country is immense and the long term damage
to the eco-system runs into generations. The economic damage and
consequent discouragement to planters has a direct bearing on the
economy slowing down agricultural development so essential to our
country.
This wanton damage can be prevented and these criminal arsonists
transformed into law abiding dairy farming assets to the country by
action on the following lines:
1. Compulsory registration of cattle owners.
2. Lease of bare land to cattle owners to grow fodder grass combined
with appropriate agroforestry under necessary guidance.
3. Encouragement of dairy farming by providing good strains of cattle
and starting milk collection centres.
4. Prohibition of ownership of cattle by those who have no legal
means of feeding their cattle.
5. All religious institutions and schools educate the people on the
damage caused by these criminal acts.
6. Offering rewards for information to identify arsonists.
7. Imposition of severe penalties for arson, preferably public
whipping.
8. Publicity and action by Local Government Officials, Grama Sevakas
and Police.
LINCOLN WIJEYESINGHE
Almost everything has gone up in price - food items, petrol, bus and
train fares and electricity. We read about protests and impending strike
action. The public and private sector employees demand substantial
salary increases, which is only reasonable.
But what about the poor old pensioners? We could only grumble and
plead. We cannot strike, nor have we the energy to shout slogans and go
round Lipton’s Circus. Therefore, will the authorities concerned spare a
thought for the old pensioners when some sort of relief is granted to
the public and private sector employees?
RANJITH GAMINI PERERA -
Panadura
As the above subject has been discussed in a recent news journal I
would like to discuss the subject of premarital sex from a Buddhist’s
perspective.
Premarital sex among young people is becoming more and more common in
Sri Lanka especially in the urban areas as compared to the rural areas.
Some religionists say that it can be considered as committing adultery
while others say it is immoral and unjustifiable.
As far as I am aware, in the rural areas of the South where a
majority of the people are Buddhists, young boys and girls are not
allowed by their parents to move about until they are legally married
and parents try very hard to choose partners for their sons and
daughters and these arranged marriages in the villages are quite
successful and they have happy marriage lives. It is common knowledge
that divorce cases are extremely rare in the rural areas as compared to
urban areas.
Parents in the rural areas of course, choose partners for their
children depending on the social and financial status, family
obligations and related issues and during the good old days, the
marriage broker (Kapuwa) played an important role in arranging
marriages. Of late, the place of the marriage broker has been taken over
by the newspaper advertisements and this system I must say appears to be
a better system.
Today, young people are at liberty to go out and find their partners,
as they have a lot of freedom and independence in their lives. This is
not a very bad system, but some of these people are too young and too
immature to realise the difference between sexual attraction and true
compatibility. That is why the problem of premarital sex arises.
Too much laxity in matters concerning sex has given rise to social
problems in modern society. The sad part is that some societies do not
express liberal attitudes towards unmarried mothers, illegitimate
children and divorces while they are quite liberal about free sex.
As a result the young people are being punished by the same society
which encourages free mixing of the sexes and they become sexual
outcasts and suffer much shame and humiliation.
Many young girls have become victims of their own freedom and have
ruined their future by violating age-old traditions which are still
valued in our country especially by the people in the rural areas.
Premarital sex is a modern development which has come as a result of
excessive social freedom prevailing among present day young people while
Buddhism holds no strong view either for or against such an action. It
is thought that all Buddhists particularly people of both sexes in love
and contemplating marriage, should adhere to the age-old traditional
concept that they maintain chastity until the nuptial date.
The human mind is unstable and forever changing, with the result that
any illicit action or indiscretion may cause undue harm to either party
if the legal marriage does not take place as expected. Any form of
sexual indulgence before a proper marriage is solemnized, is looked down
upon by the elders who are guardians of the young people.
Unlike in the East, in the West, marriage on the basis of romance has
been considered natural and sometimes ideal. In Sri Lanka, especially in
the urban areas, the number of young people who abandon the traditional
arranged marriage and select partners out of romantic considerations has
been growing; but in some cases, romantic marriages lead to separation
and unhappiness within a short time, whereas arranged marriages often
produce couples who live and work together in contentment and happiness.
They say romantic love is like the brighter flame of a woodfire that
leaps up and burns clear, but lasts only a short time. Love between man
and wife burns quietly and slowly like a fire of burning coal. The flame
of romantic love is quickly extinguished leaving nothing but ashes which
are a poor foundation for a successful married life.
Dr. D.P. ATUKORALA -
Colombo
Testing of emissions from motor vehicles is a timely step taken by
the Ministry of Environment. However, the cost of a test which has to be
done annually is considerable.
This cost is in addition to the increased cost of revenue licence,
fuel, lubricants, tyres and other parts. I own an old motor car of 850
cc capacity and use it sparingly.
There are many such who maintain a private car with great difficulty.
Also, it is a wrong contention that only owner’s make use of vehicles as
the Tranport Ministry officials implied recently. The whole population
virtually make use of motorised transport at sometime or the other.
Considering all these factors, I earnestly request the authorities to
reduce the cost of emission test to a nominal sum as it is done for the
welfare of the whole country and also as it has to be done annually.
A. G. ABEYSINGHE -
Gampaha
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