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Man Vs. Elephant confrontations are a regular feature in the news
today. As animal lovers we are sad to visualise this disastrous
situation encountered by these animals. Before escalation of further
damage to this category of animals, a permanent solution has to be
schemed out for their protection.
The natural abodes of these animals are the thick tropical jungles
close to the equator. Therefore these animals have a natural claim to
line in the tropical wet jungles of Sri Lanka as well.
This island is also situated in close proximity to the equator. The
onus of introducing extra precautions for their safe survival is
bestowed on the State. In some South African countries these are centres
to train these animals on various types of hard-work in factories etc.
Even in Thailand and Burma they are engaged in useful purposes which
are of economical value to the country. In Sri Lanka, the Pinnawala
Elephant orphanage accommodates those animals that are displaced due to
various reasons. Pinnawala elephant orphanage has gained international
fame in the tourist-world.
We regularly witness on TV incidents - where elephants trek into
large paddy fields and destroy ripen paddy crops; damage houses; waylay
and attacking people; running berserk at Peraheras and create commotion.
Also we see carcasses of elephants that have been killed by wanton
shooting. Also we witnessed an incident where the OIC of a Police
station in Kurunegala Division was killed by an elephant and another
case where a farmer that went to rescue an elephant and her calf was
trampled down in broad-day light, after they were taken out of a water
pool. Of late incidents of this type are innumerable.
People living in jungle border areas of Chilaw, Kurunegala, Ampara,
Polonnaruwa, Vavuniya, Badulla, Trincomalee, Moneragala and Ratnapura
face these eventualities and are seriously affected. People in these
areas are in mortal fear about their lives day in, day out.
A tense situation prevails as we witness their plight on the TV.
Therefore a national policy has to be promulgated about the elephants in
Sri Lanka and how to safeguard wildlife without conflicts with human
beings.
R.L. GURUGAMAGE – Dodanduwa
With reference to the article ‘Cruelty to animals - A reply’
appearing in a recent issue of a daily newspaper by the consultant eye
specialist Dr. M. T. Reffai, I would like to enumerate some of the other
Shariah rules with respect to slaughter of animals for the benefit of
the readers.
1. The slaughterer must be a Muslim.
2. The name of Allah has to be invoked on the animal to be
slaughtered as follows - Bismillahi, Allahu Akbar.
3. The animal may preferably be faced towards Ka’ba(the direction
Muslims face when praying) before slaughtering.
4. The animal must be killed by cutting the throat with the single
continuous back and forth motion of a knife (the cut must sever at least
three of the trachea, oesophagus, and the two blood vessels on either
side of the throat and not cut the the spinal cord).
5. The knife has to be sharp.
6. The knife must not be sharpened in the animal’s presence.
7. The animal must be allowed to bleed out.
8. The animal has to free from any diseases/disabilities.
MOHAMED ZAHRAN - Colombo 3
From time to time there have been a number of letters on benefits for
our migrant workers but so far nothing has been done by the authorities.
The Government should take into consideration that over a million Sri
Lankans are working abroad, with the Middle East absorbing over three
quarters of them. In return these expatriate workers remit a
considerable amount as FOREX monthly.
It has been estimated that Remittances from the Middle East alone
have topped US$ 2500 Million for 2007, filling the already depleted
Government coffers whilst also contributing towards partially solving
the unemployment problem in this country.
In addition to Government striving to provide benefits such as
enhanced salaries, better working hours, insurance, housing loans etc.,
they should also be given a Duty Free Allowance for the import of any
type of vehicle - be it a 3 - wheeler, motor cycle, car or van etc.,
taking into consideration the period served, salary and amount of FOREX
remitted.
The Government will not be a loser as FOREX remitted will increase in
order to qualify for the Duty Free Allowance. All these privileges could
be included when the CEB Act is amended and presented in Parliament by
Minister Rambukwella.Will the Minister kindly give this matter his
earnest consideration.
VERNON – Dehiwala
The notice, which appeared in the Daily News of October 28 and 30,
starts off with, “Following the Directions of the Supreme Courts,” but
whether the intentions of the S.C. have been adhered to can be gauged
from the following workings are:
All domestic consumers were expected to be given relief, where (c)
would at least be in line, if not lower, than (a). Are the new tariffs
in contempt?
A public notice has essentially to be very clear and unambiguous.
Reading through the tariff category in the notice, upto 30 units is
very clear, but the next line block of units of 31 to 60 units at Rs.
4.70 per unit, I worked for 60 units at Rs. 4.70, and when one reads the
3rd line block of units of 61 to 90 units, one sees that there is
something amiss.
Block of 30 units from (Not of) 31 to 60 units and other lines to
follow with block of 30 units, block of 90 units etc. would have been
crystal clear.
Take a working class, self employed, tenement household, consisting
of a few of these categories viz. Coconut tree climber (to pluck, Rs.
40, per tree; to lower a bunch of king-coconuts, Rs. 50), a mason (Rs.
1,000 to Rs. 1,200 per day), a carpenter (as per mason or a little
higher), an unskilled worker - labourer (Rs. 750 to Rs. 800 per day), an
electrician, a plumber, a natami (they are all now on mobile call and
their earnings are enormous), a few women of the household, working as
housemaids in the Middle East and hence, you will find the household
with fridges, washing machines, electric rice-cookers, blenders,
electric irons, fans, TVs, DVDs etc. and hence a 90 unit maximum is
really a misconception these days. If the country was not open-economised,
this limit would have been acceptable but no longer.
Also, to contend with the mosquito menace, and thereby Dengue and
Malaria, one has to weigh, heavier electricity bills with fans on or
inhale mosquito coils smoke right through the night and end up either at
Maharagama or Welisara.
I only hope that this letter catches the attention of the Nayaka
Theras, who sought court intervention and also PI experts to take up
this issue and to include the Water Board too for their ridiculously
incongruous Blocks and Tariffs.
Domestic purpose - Ex.152 units consumed
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(a) (b) (c)
Prior to April to After Nov’ 08
March 2008 Oct.’ 08
Actual Actual Contemplated
Rs.Cts. Rs.Cts. Rs.Cts.
Unit and Fixed Charges 1450.40 1762.00 1628.00
Fuel adjustment Charges 254.08 501.60 488.40
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Total 1704.48 2263.60 2116.40
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ERNEST RUPASINGHE – Gampaha
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