The prevalent dry weather conditions in most parts of the country, is
an ideal time to realize the above, which is a vital commodity required
for our survival.
The accumulation of same to be used when necessary should be a vital
requirement that needs immediate attention.
Accordingly, all tanks should be restored to accommodate the maximum
quantity of water during the two monsoons, cushioning the effects of
droughts in the ensuing years, which undoubtedly retards development of
the country.
Similar to prohibiting filling of paddy lands for other purpose,
maintenance of dry tanks should also be prohibited. I say this, because
agriculture without water would never succeed, which is quite evident at
present. Let’s accustom ourselves to suit the needs of nature.
TOMMY WANIGESINGHE - Kurunegala
I went to the Registrar General Dept, Record Room, Maligawatte on
January 13, 2009 to obtain a copy of my marriage certificate and handed
over a request letter.
Although their records indicate that the copy I requested has been
posted to me on January 15, 2009, I have still not received it to my
address at Hunupitiya.
The other two branches of the above Department at Thimbirigayaya and
Vajira Road accept applications every mornings and evenings and issue
the copies within one hour.
At the Maligawatte branch they accept the application only on
Wednesday mornings. The fact that they are equipped with facilities to
provide the copies direct to the applicants the same day or the
following day and still insisting on them posting the copies to the
relevant addresses drew my suspicion - that they are expecting
‘something’. The Tamil speaking Officer on duty that day was harsh to
me.
If the applicants requesting copies do not know the Registered
numbers of the certificates despite presenting the correct date, the
officer refuses to accept the applications.
A number of people are present there amidst much pain and expenses to
seek the services of the above department. But it is pathetic that most
of them return empty-handed.
Some people ‘approach’ these officers in a different way
successfully. As I realized this I complained this to the Young
committed officer named Buddika Soysa who is the Additional District
Registrar.
He immediately warned that particular officer and before that evening
he ensured that I got the copy I requested without any additional stamp
duty. Officers of Buddika Soysa’s calibre deserve great appreciation. It
thank him wholeheartedly.
My humble request to the concerned authorities of this Department is
to,
1. Make arrangements to operate these services on a daily basis,
2. To issue the copies on the same day of request,
3. To treat people with humility.
A. KUHANANDASUNDARAM
A feudal-relict who held the highest office in the country, ignorant
of the prevailing contributory pension scheme, used a defamatory epithet
Pinpadikarayo referring to pensioners. Some top bureaucrats subscribing
to this concept threw sops to the powers that be, rather tempting to
resist.
One such was saving of funds incurred on account of postage and other
incidentials in posting Pension Receipts (PR) with exaggerated figures
to impress the bosses. Naive among Pension Assos’ leadership were more
than convinced that the PR obligatory from colonial times could be
dispensed with, without much ado.
But this move when contested by a FR Application in the Supreme
Court, the very Director of Pensions (DP) who was the creator of this
rumpus, tamely gave an undertaking to S.C. to restore the PR by way of a
settlement and saved his face.
By arbitrarily deducting Rs. 50 from February pension, without
reflecting this abatement on the PR, the very legitimacy of this
accounting statement, has been brought to naught.
Initial ‘Holiday Home’ for pensioners was built in Kelaniya by the
previous Government at State expense but the proposed holiday home in
Ramboda, out of funds forcibly collected from pensioners is an absurdity
perpetrated on unsuspecting retirees, perhaps someone up the line trying
to qualify for an after-retirement posting?
In these circumstances, is it unfair to launch a slogan Save the
Pensioners from their Director?
W. SAMARANAYAKA - Maharagama
If it is costly and time-consuming to build an incinerator, I wonder
whether garbage can be used to fire brick and tile kilns around Colombo.
I have, sometime back seen a project run by NERD at Kunuwala Paara,
Kirulapone, where garbage is sorted out, methane is generated and used
to in turn generate a little bit of electricity.
If this method could be implemented on a large scale, employment can
be generated at every stage of the process. The capital cost will be
mainly for making concreted wells with lids.
L. DE SILVA
Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), Malabe campus
is situated by the side of Malabe-Kaduwela main road.
As the motor vehicles drive very fast the students have to face
severe difficulties when crossing the roadway.
Several years ago similar situation was observed in the University of
Colombo, where the students had to cross the Thurstan Road and the Reid
Avenue unsafely.
The authorities took the steps to install colour light system only
after a death of a student while crossing the Reid Avenue. Similar
incident happened at Kelaniya university also.
In cases like these, university student behaviour which is linked
with young age also has to be taken into consideration. The environment
of the university premises and soundings are to be safer, road crossings
are to be protected.
Installation of a colour lights system at the road crossing is a best
solution, the authorities have to proceed.
S. WIJESIRI - Pannipitiya
Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma seems to be doing an excellent
job of work in his Ministry and I am very happy for him. Anyhow there is
one place that he should pay a sudden visit to, which I feel is an
eyesore, right at the center of Colombo.
This is the Maradana Railway station, a very poorly kept place
indeed. The floors of the platforms are so dirty, I think they were
never scrubbed and washed in their lifetime. There is not a single bench
or chair, on the platform that is not broken and they are so dirty, that
it’s a real eyesore.
At the entrance lobby, the timetables are hung so high up and the
lettering small that one should be a seven footer to be able to read
them. Mr. Minister, it would do well for you yourself to do a sudden
spot check on this place. I do not know whether other stations too are
like this.
L. S.
It is very sad to see that the Kelaniya university has been closed
down for nearly one month due to the violence and irresponsible
behaviour of the students of the university.
Since the authorities couldn’t control the violent students, the
acting Vice Chancellor had to close the university indefinitely.
University students who are misguided by anti-social and unpatriotic
political activists have damaged the properties of the university.
These unbecoming students have attacked police personnel and 14
students are reported to have been arrested for questioning. Ultimate
result of this agitations and violent behaviour of students has paved
the way for the studious students to lose the opportunity of studying.
However, all attempts made by the university authorities to settle
the dispute have been unsuccessful as violent students’ representatives
don’t agree to peaceful negotiations.
These students have mercilessly damaged public properly amounting to
millions of rupees. They have destroyed the properties of innocent
people of our country.
No one is benefitted by these acts of violence of students.
Government funds mean the money of the common people of this country who
gave the right to students to destroy public properties?
The Vice-Chancellor of Kelaniya university has informed parents to
look after the children in a responsible manner as these students have
already become delinquents. We admire the steps taken by the university
authorities to close down the university since there was no any other
alternative.
In order to maintain good discipline in Government universities,
tough actions should be taken against criminal minded students who
deprive other peaceful and innocent students of the opportunity of
studying.
We have doubts that these delinquents will be of any service to
Mother Sri Lanka after passing out of university. Please take early
steps to expel these criminal cum students from university for the good
of other students.
It is a well-known fact that the Sri Lankan government spends
billions of rupees for university students annually and it is a bigger
slice of our national income.
We should study the root cause of students’ unrest and remedy such
lapses as soon as possible. The plight of innocent students has to be
rectified by authorities at the earliest possible opportunity.
S. M. WIJAYARATNE - Ihala Kadigamuwa
There has been a good response to my letter regarding the choice of
CFL bulbs, but my question has still not been answered. Yes, I have used
both foreign and locally manufactured bulbs. Most of them have lasted
more than the guaranteed periods.
I Always believe in - good things no cheap, cheap things no good and
my selection of these blubs too have been the same. I wish to know as to
how we can ascertain whether we save 80 per cent of energy/ current when
we use these quality CFL bulbs.
J. GUNASEKARA - Colombo
Pakistani Mehar Mohammed Khalil who was at the wheel of our
cricketers’ bus is undoubtedly the ‘Man of the Year’. Though with fear
of his own life, when heard the firing peal, he sped the vehicle for
safety, by which the valuable lives - the assets, of Sri Lanka too were
saved.
The genuine apologetic expressions from the Government of Pakistan,
the Cricket Board, VIPs and of the Pakistanis to the Government and the
people of Sri Lanka showed how much they were really hurt over that
shameful and disastrous act.
Terrorists in any country are a very formidable lot with scant regard
for the lives of human beings. They will be a great concern to the
Government of the day, if they are not eradicated at the inception
itself. But unfortunately, the root cause for terrorism to rise up is
not looked into. Simultaneously, paid terrorists are also created by
hostile countries.
Opportunists may blare why our team was sent to Pakistan despite a
terrorist threat there. As already convinced by the Government and the
SL Cricket Board, it was merely and purely in showing our gratitude for
the support extended during a cricket crisis for us and to maintain the
good rapport of both our countries.
A few others, sans realizing that they are living with the world’s
worst terrorist outfit, accuse the host that adequate security had not
been provided to the team. Positive or negative it may be, their sole
intention is to create chaos in the country.
It seems to be ridiculous even having seen how many of our VIPs,
including President Premadasa who had the best security and later the
Ministry of defence, by that experience, provided an elite group of
commandos to President Kumaratunga to whom too the terrorists approached
and the consequent of it is well known.
It could not be forgotten how Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was
attacked by the butt of a rifle by a naval rating, which was also a form
of terrorism. Who anticipated that sudden attack and could the
Government of the day be condemned for such an act of a security
personnel? As in cricket, in terrorism too, ‘you miss, I hit’.
NAZLY CASSIM - Colombo 13
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