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Thursday, 18 June 2009

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Threat of desertification

The World Day to combat desertification was marked yesterday across the continents. This year's theme was 'Conserving Land and Water Securing Our Common Future'. The significance of the topic could not be overemphasized given the threat faced to the planet's very survival by the rapid degradation of the environment and consequent depletion of all water resources. It has been found that desertification directly affects the lives of more than 650 million people in 110 countries and threatens more than one billion people within 40 percent of the Earth's surface. Today, more than 135 million people worldwide are at risk of forced migration mainly due to climate change and other aspects such as deforestation.

It would be more correct to say that the world as a whole today, is almost on the brink of a major environmental upheaval. The rapid melting of glaziers as a result of global warming, fast dwindling of forest cover, the drying up of rivers and waterways, the rise in the ocean level and the extinction of animal species are but a sample of this phenomenon.

Experts warn that if the world fails to act collectively to arrest this trend very soon vast geographical areas of the planet would be wiped off the map and with it populations. A majority of the developed countries should take the major share of the blame for this state of affairs. They only pay lip service towards environmental protection and international protocols signed in this regard in their race to achieve economic development and technological advancement.

In the melee environmental considerations are put on the back burner. As mentioned, environment treaties more often than not are observed in the breach by these countries who never tire of preaching to others of the need to protect the environment.

There is therefore a need for fresh initiatives on the part of world leaders to resolve to take positive action to stop the erosion of the planet's natural resources which needless to say does not have an unlimited lifespan.

Sri Lanka too has been remiss on her responsibilities towards environment protection. The rapid urbanization in the name of development and progress has taken its toll on the country's eco system. No longer can one forecast with any accuracy the climatic patterns such as rainy seasons as in the past. The indiscriminate destruction of forest cover, unplanned construction and the inexorable drive for urbanization have caused the drying up of canals, waterways and reservoirs. Already warnings have been made about the gradual depletion of our natural water resources and the possibility of migration of people looking for fresh pastures as is already happening in many parts of the world. Urgent steps therefore are needed to arrest the causative factors that result in the drying up of fertile land and the danger of desertification.

In Sri Lanka under this year's theme titled "Let us ensure our future security through the protection of water and land resources", the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry has launched various programs such as tree planting projects to make the country more verdant. We hasten to say that such tree planting campaigns will be an exercise in futility if steps are not taken to stop the wilful destruction of the environment by the indiscriminate felling of trees, destruction of forests and forced encroachments on protected reserves carried out more often than not under the benign eye of politicians.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has always emphasized the virtues of sustainable development and has promised to come down hard on those responsible for the destruction of the environment.But concrete action is called for to stem the rot. One has only to travel along the coastal belt to see the forlorn expanses of barren tracts that were once thriving coconut land. These lands have been denuded of their lush vegetation and parcelled out by property developers for housing projects.

This scenario is today witnessed in every part of the country with the result, that very soon Sri Lanka too will be reduced to a barren landscape- a mockery to its once proud hydraulic civilization. Therefore, those planning tree planting campaigns and such projects should first combine to halt the slide into desertification of the country by protecting the country's ecological balance. The Government had already passed laws to appropriate all fertile land that are not put to cultivable purposes. This is a step in the right direction in arresting the country's gradual desertification.

Towards management education and development

Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) is an educational institution that has set a standard and class of its own. I have seen many excellent institutions, and I have no hesitation to say that the PIM stands tall among the best in the trade.

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Dr. Badi-ud-din Mahmud:

An illustrious Muslim hero of Ruhuna

Dr. Badi-ud-din Mahmud was a founder member of the SLFP. Till then practically the entirety of the Muslim community were ardent supported of the United National Party. Dr. Al Haj Badi-ud-din Mahmud explaining his political stand at Galle Fort addressing the Muslim Cultural Association, in 1974 said:

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Mahinda Rajapaksa:

A multi-faceted personality

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s rare skill as a diplomat is clearly seen, when his diplomatic exercises are placed in juxtaposition with those of J. R. Jayawardene.

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