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Sri Lanka is in the process of being development and the Colombo city
too should be improved. Shanties and unauthorized constructions are ugly
sights and they also inconvenience the people in so many ways.
Governments in the past did not take any concrete action to do something
for the city. But the present Government, under the instruction of the
Defence Secretary, has firstly been able to remove the unauthorized
shops and other constructions without bowing his head to any pressure
from anybody.
He did not care for the politicians or community leaders to save
their supporters. His intention is to improve and develop Colombo for
the benefit of all under the leadership of the President.
The Defence Secretary alone cannot handle this program of preventing
and cleaning the city without the help of the area police. Because such
unauthorized constructions will come up from various corners.
It is useless speaking about the District Engineers of the Colombo
Municipal Council to prevent the repetition of this situation because it
is clear that they are mostly responsible for allowing such
constructions to come up.
Therefore, the OICs of the area should be given the responsibility of
preventing any new construction being constructed and the CMC District
Engineers should be instructed to co-operate with the Police. The public
must inform the Police of any new unauthorized construction coming up in
the areas with copy to UDA Chairman.
It must be said here that there are some unauthorized constructions
and structures which have not been removed and they too should be
removed to play fair by others with three weeks notice given to them.
Some people who are living in narrow lanes and gardens are helplessly
suffering as their pathways have been forcibly occupied and structures
put up by able-bodied persons and given on rent for business.
The UDA must not only concentrate on public highways but also help
such suffering people as this is the time for it.
So many pavements were cleared for the convenience of pedestrians and
months have passed away. Did the District Offices of the CMC take action
to clear them, repair them for the convenience of the people?
A request to the authorities is that while a large number of pavement
businessmen’s structures are removed in Fort and Pettah, all are not
given alternatives because of lack of suitable places for them. Some
families are suffering without an income.
Newton Cooray - Colombo 9
My letters were published in the Daily News of April 19, 2005 under
the headline ‘Public libraries lack facilities’ and another on August
14, 2007 under ‘Kotahena Library - a furnace’ as it was totally
unbearable to be inside the library due to the fact it was more or less
a concrete building with no provision for ventilation and together with
an easy suggestion of dispelling the heat.
The intense heat and untold sufferings faced by visitors and students
for a considerable length of time were inexplicable.
The photocopies of those letters were sent to all the relevant
authorities and only correspondence among Local Government Ministry,
Western Provincial Council, Colombo Municipal Council and Chief
Librarian were exchanged, with copies to me, but nobody venturing to
take positive action to do a humanitarian service to the visitors of
that library.
The CMC which is the institution responsible to attend to this matter
was mute even sans an acknowledgement to me despite intervention from
the Presidential Secretariat twice.
I pursued this matter for a long time spending for printing,
registered posts and faxes, apart from wasting my time and exhausting my
energy with the intention of finding a solution.
Newly appointed Omar Kamil as the City Chief Administrator (CCA)
assured me that he would definitely attend to it at the earliest and by
the first week of June, the matter was looked into and the library gets
sufficient ventilation.
I take this opportunity of thanking the Daily News for publishing the
relevant letters and I am very grateful to the CCA for having kept his
word by providing a great relief to the visitors of the library.
NAZLY CASSIM - Colombo 13
Permit me to raise a matter of grave importance and a potential
health hazard facing residents of the Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia Municipal
area.
The collection of garbage has over a period of time deteriorated to
an abysmally low level. There is a complete breakdown of the Municipal
administration wherein it is reported that the Mayor has lost control
over the garbage collection gangs.
The garbage collection which was by weekly in the past has over a
period of time become almost a fortnightly chore.
Garbage collectors being a law unto themselves now resort to abuse if
no payment is made whenever they come to collect the garbage which is
now a sick sordid sight dotting the roads of this once beautiful
residential area. No emphasis is required to state the grave hazards it
poses to the residents of the area.
Evidently the breakdown of discipline and the control of the staff by
the Mayor merits serious attention and either this matter is addressed
forthwith or the Council is dissolved for its total inefficiency.
The best course of action would be for the UDA to take over the
Council and enforce efficiency and discipline in keeping with the
current aims of the President.
A walk along the longest road in Dehiwela namely Quarry Road and the
many by-roads that link Galle Road will reveal the sad state of the
Municipal administration which is a blight to good governance and the
civic responsibilities of the administration towards the ratepayers of
Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia.
RIAZ ISMAIL - Dehiwela
Thought has been given to MPs vehicles resulting in a drop in duty.
In the meantime, motorcar owners have this year to spend more on a
licence (Tho’ last year saw a heavy increase) and also on the Green Test
prior to obtaining a licence whilst the Insurance has also been raised.
Heavy vehicles like trucks belch out smoke with impunity probably due
to the heavy greasing.
Hindustan cars can be imported from India as the MPs there use them
to cover distance longer than they do in Sri Lanka, which is about half
a State in India.
When there is a dearth of foreign exchange, the public is called upon
to bear further tightening of their belts.
M.G.
Only the other day I was on my way to SLBC, Colombo 7 proceeding from
my office at Colpetty to Thummulla Junction and down Bauddhaloka Mawatha
to Torrington Square. This must be the first time I must have used this
road as it was closed for traffic for the past so many years for
security reasons and on account of all the Chiefs of the Security Forces
being domiciled in and around this road.
I found that travelling on this stretch of road was not only cool and
comfortable but it was also pleasing to the eye. The reason being trees
growing on both sides of the road providing a canopy, it was like an
arch made out of branches and leaves providing a comfy atmosphere.
The other places one can find a similar environment are down
Rajakeeya Mawatha, i.e., right opposite Royal College, Independence
Avenue leading to SLFI (Sri Lanka Foundation Institute) and a few other
roads. Hope that the RDA and Environment Ministry will, wherever
possible plant trees in such a way that an environment of arboreal
arcade is created which will be a pleasure to walk or drive through as
it is very much comfortable and convenient.
MOHAMED ZAHRAN - Colombo
It is ridiculous that the Indian team has disagreed with the use of
the Umpire’s Decision Review System (UDRS) in the forthcoming Test
Series with Sri Lanka.
The maximum use of technology is the best for present day cricket
because it is very competitive. After all, umpires are human and are
likely to make some mistakes though unintentional. One crucial blunder
by an umpire could turn the final result of a match on its head.
Umpires too should not have any qualms about this system because what
all want at the end of the day is the correct verdict instead of them
brooding over the crucial mistakes they made for a long time.
I think the main reason why India disagrees is the consequences of
UDRS that was in use when they last toured Sri Lanka for a Test series.
Mahela Jayawardene made the more judicious use of this system to Sri
Lanka’s advantage whereas the Indian team made a hash of it.
In short the Sri Lanka team was correct about 60 percent of the time
to India’s 40 percent. That does not justify the discarding of the
system instead of fine-tuning it.
Hope sanity will prevail soon. Otherwise the ICC should enforce it
without leaving it to the discretion of the teams.
Lionel Rajapakse - Kandy
The entire Muslim Community was deeply shocked by the untimely death
of Presidential Advisor on Muslim Affairs Niyaz Moulavi.
Niyaz Moulavi always stood for a united country and always worked
with the country’s interests at heart.
An unforgettable service he rendered to the entire Islamic community
of this country during his long tenure as Ihsaaniya Arabic Madrasa
Chairman.
He always directed his wide knowledge on his own religion Islam,
other parallel religions and his abilities in aesthetic studies to
develop a worthy nation.
Niyaz Moulavi not only had extensive knowledge on the teachings of
Prophet Mohamed (Sallal Lahu Alai-Hiwasallama). But also posses an
extraordinary knowledge about other religions as well.
The vacuum created by his passing away will be hard to fill.
He is still with us.
- Mohideen Fairooze - Mohideen Akramlezmi
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