Citizens' MAIL
The dengue mosquito can be eliminated if heaped up piles of trash,
dirt and refuse can be burned and destroyed. Once Colombo was called the
'Clearest City East of Suez'. One good reason for the city to get this
reputation was that dirt was burnt. All trash and dirt in the city were
collected and burnt by the incinerator situated along Incinerator Road
at Pamankada.
Today environmentalists are said to have a false belief that burning
the dirt results in harmful smoke which will pollute the environment.
This is a false belief given to us by so-called developed oil producing
countries that emit tons of smoke from oil wells. They have 'sold' this
idea to us as they have sold so many other ideas. At the moment
mountains of dirt, trash and waste matter are spreading germs to the
environment.
It is best to ignore these imported ideas and set up incinerators and
burn the dirt. Even the pollution from the coalmines of developed
countries are a threat to the lives of both coal miners and the
atmosphere.
Many years back it was a tradition in this country especially in the
villages to burn rubber waste (Ottapalu) during the mosquito season. If
some civic-minded organizations or persons distribute rubber waste to
people to burn dirt, mosquitoes can be eliminated. Instead of expensive
foreign remedies, simple remedies can be found in this island. The
anti-malaria campaign also carried out a very efficient and successful
campaign to eliminate malaria from the country. Malaria was also of
mosquito borne disease. We may get advice from the anti-malaria
campaign.
All these remedies, traditional and modern may be considered to
eliminate the mosquito menace.
E L S DHARMATILAKA
Piliyandala
I have read in the newspapers that the 20 percent bonus on interest
paid to senior citizens has been withdrawn from end June.
Our complaints about plunging interest rates fell on deaf ears. In
the run up to the Presidential election this year, one candidate
promised Rs 2,000 monthly to all senior citizens. The very next day the
Government candidate offered the 20 percent bonus. So an election
promise has been violated in the short space of six months.
It was foolish to have offered this to all senior citizens, with only
one stipulation i.e. the maximum one was entitled to was Rs 120,000
annually. So, as at 30.6.10 a very affluent senior citizen has received
Rs 60,000 or Rs 120,000 jointly with the spouse. All other senior
citizens have received far less.
The authorities should reassess the situation and continue paying the
bonus to non-tax payers; perhaps 20 percent to those earning less than
Rs 25,000 monthly as interest income and 10 percent to those earning
between Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000 monthly as interest income. These
particulars are given in the Tax Declaration forms we submit to the
banks.
One newspaper attributed the bonus being withdrawn to limited State
funds and the Cost of Living having come down. Limited State funds is
apparently not a reason for people in the right slots to forfeit
anything. As for the Cost of Living, we senior citizens are being
relentlessly clobbered by the stupendous impact of it. So please don't
deprive us of what was promised to us, which therefore becomes our
right.
THILAHA YOGANATHAN
Colombo 6
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