Citizens' Mail
The Rathgama Lagoon is situated on the Coastal belt of the Galle
District about 14 kilometres from Galle Town on Galle-Colombo Road. It
is one of the most beautiful lagoons in Sri Lanka. It encompasses a
large expanse of water area within the Rathgama Electorate and borders
the villages of Dodanduwa, Rathgama, Katudampe and Berathuduwa.
The green foliage and the hills standing around the lagoon provides a
phenomena of scenic beauty. Four small islands nestle in the middle of
the Lagoon and the largest is the world-renown Island Hermitage. This
lagoon provides resources to produce large quantities of food and
utility products and is of immense significance to the communities
depending on exploiting these resources for their livelihood.
However, the monstrous tsunami waves that lashed on the Coastal belt
of Dodanduwa and Rathgama caused immense damage to the lagoon and to
areas bordering it. This lagoon got inundated with an unprecedented flow
of harmful tsunami water and the mouth of the lagoon got blocked up with
sand bars.
The tsunami waters submerged the paddy growing bordering areas of the
lagoon. The vegetation around the lagoon as well as the species of fish
died as a result. The roe of the fish, crabs, shrimp and prawns got
destroyed.
The debris of fishing crafts that got drifted into the lagoon from
the sea-shore are still visible lying in the middle of the estuary of
the lagoon.
The outlet to the sea from the lagoon is from Dodanduwa and the
estuary here is invaded by fishing-crafts. The sand bars block the mouth
of the lagoon and as such the flow in and flow out of water is
considerably restricted.
The migration of marine fish into the lagoon to reproduce in the
shelter under the mangroves is handicapped. Consequently the shollow
nature of the estuary from the sea-shore up to the Railway Bridge
obstructs the steady growth of the aquatic resources of the lagoon.
The water in the lagoon is brackish. Underneath of the mangroves is a
haven for fish, crabs, prawns, shrimps and lobster. The resources this
lagoon provides are manifold. Fishing and soaking of coconut husk to
produce coir profusely benefit the communities living around.
The development of this lagoon is an urgent need. It is presently in
the throes of a neglected lagoon. Hence, it is suggested that the
Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources examine this lagoon and
formulate some remedial measures on the following matters.
1. To desedimentate the lagoon as it is getting filled up with the
influx of sediment and soil from bordering lands.
2. To deepen the estuary.
3. To prevent people encroaching on water-areas of the lagoon.
R. L. Gurugamage
Dodanduwa
I respond to A. D. Gunasekera's letter which appeared recently (July
9, 2008).
I wish to discuss the points on which I agree and disagree with him
in regard to what he has 'conveyed' in his letter.
I concur with him that (1) All organisms have to feed to live (2)
Only plants can manufacture their own food (3) Carnivores cannot live
without eating other animals - may I add here that even carnivores never
ever devour their own breed and (4) One should not desist from eating
fish or flesh because in religions it is taught as a sin.
In my view 'sin' is only a religious belief because no human being
certified 'dead' by a qualified medical practitioner has ever come back
to 'life' again to tell what he/she experienced after death - whether
heaven or hell? Sin is said to be associated with 'going to hell' while
Virtue/Glory with 'going to heaven'. But where is the proof for all
this? We humans belong to 'different' religions which were 'man made'
and each religion has its own 'basic' tenets which persons belonging to
that particular religion are expected to adopt and follow.
But what about the rest of the animal kingdom which have the same
basic anatomy and physiological functions as the homo-sapiens (human
beings) except for the faculty of 'speech' or 'expression' as we human
beings understand it.
It is again my personal view that none of us have seen God and
therefore it is axiomatic that something 'supernatural' call it
God/Nature/Cosmic energy/Creator or whatever has created 'life' on
earth, the oceans, the mountains, water falls etc.
We all know that animals neither have nor follow any religion: they
do not pray to different 'Gods' as we humans do: so it is man who 'made'
religion and the different deities according to their beliefs.
The concept of 'life' should in my view be looked at from this angle
- more highly evolved animals of which the 'most highly' evolved being
the human species, followed by those of the 'lower' evolved category
such as animals, birds, fish, insects, plants and finally those in the
'lowest' evolved category namely microbes like the bacteria viruses and
unicellular organisms, both of animal and plant origin. The significant
difference between these two groups, viz, plants and animals is that
most plants can 'regenerate' when some segment such as a branch or part
of the stem is injured or severed by injury/trauma and also, when
subjected to the trauma there is no visible suffering or 'agony'
experienced by the plant whereas in the more highly evolved forms of
'life' which includes man and animals what is witnessed is just the
opposite, that is, an amputated or severed limb cannot be 'replaced' by
Nature and therefore the loss is permanent (unless of course an
'artificial' limb is fitted) and there is also an immense 'visible'
suffering/agony when animals are killed at game/hunting or when
slaughtered for the consumption of their flesh as meat by man to satisfy
his appetite.
The 'uprooting' of the plant for carrots, beetroot or for its leaves
as in the case for spinach, gotukola or 'kang kung' can in no way be
equated, in my opinion, to the 'slashing' the neck of an innocent
chicken, goat, pig or cow.
A popular misconcept amongst some Buddhists and Hindus is that 'fish'
is not equivalent to 'meat' but this is not correct: the fish is also an
animal and its biological name is 'deadus fishus' which means it is a
cold blooded animal living wholly in water and it is reported that when
taken out of its environment (water) the fish undergoes 'immense'
suffering prior to its death - pathetic indeed.
Let me conclude by agreeing with Mr. Gunasekera that 'One should not
desist from eating fish or flesh because in religions it is taught as a
sin but because of compassion for a more developed form of life.'
This is exactly what the Noble Buddha taught and stressed.
Professor M. Sivasuriya
Colombo 8
What peace of mind, satisfaction and assurance have we got that the
danger and horrendous threat of the non-biodegradable polythene's
ruinous influence is now non-existent and is under check and control.
There was a big lull in the issue and usage a year or so back,
possibly on the Supreme Court order then-now, ironically polythene bags
are in free circulation again.
Are the manufacturers spewing out the correct article under
authorized supervision, one wonders? The public is not aware of any
official strictures either.
The handing over to the next generation, interminably and harmfully
blocked obnoxious drains and drainage systems and infertile useless
non-porous impermeable, dioxin and toxic emanating lands, even prime,
should be most conscionable and beyond just rationale indeed.
Just imagine Sri Lanka with such constricted and limited land space,
unlike many other countries who benefit sideways, have to unnecessarily
forego even the little expanses available on account of inconsiderate
and non-practical and bad planning of the various Local Government
authorities and agencies.
Simple solutions like resorting to recycling these bags for
conversion to software items like buckets, basins, soap dishes etc. and
also soluble macadam surfacing and recycling too of papers keeping in
mind that otherwise at least 30 odd valuable forests will have to be
'cropped' for Sri Lanka's general paper requirements purposelessly and
detrimentally.
The progressive Municipal Council of Weligama has given a wonderful
start three years back with planned collection of garbage leading to
recycling processes on paper and polythene and also turning all the
other heavy garbage into compost as fertilizer thereby even as a master
move have converted worthless/harmful rubbish into good cash.
Where or what are all the Local Government Councils doing thus far?
Heres for a healthier and more beautiful Sri Lanka.
W. Meadows
Dehiwala
This refers to the letter by Monsoor Gouse on the above caption.
It is true that the format is bit confusing, but yet if one follows
through the instructions without assuming things on his own,
registration could be done and I did it. He mentions about the 'submit
button' and this is found at the very bottom of the page and perhaps he
did not read the document to the end. Also it is necessary to fill all
the highlighted areas.
It would have been helpful if some instructions were given on the top
of the page, indicating that for every member of the household, a
separate page has to be submitted.
But at the end all the members' names will appear at the end in the
chief occupant's form. I feel that this format is done with the idea
that when extracting information, one could reach it individually as
well as a family.
D.P.Y. Abeywardhana
Nawala
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