Pollution, environmental damage costs Rs 10,201 million
Unsustainable development takes toll:
Ramani Kangaraarachchi
The total cost of environmental damage from various aspects in Sri
Lanka stands at Rs 10,201 million which is 2.4 percent of the country’s
Gross National Product. Speaking at the inauguration of annual
convention of Institute of Environmental Professionals, (IEPSL) Power
and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawake said the damage caused by
urban and industrial pollution, water pollution and waste disposal stood
at Rs 2,865 million. The forest and land degradation and coastal damage
has been estimated as Rs 5,518 million.
The Minister said the transport sector in Sri Lanka does the biggest
damage to the environment through vehicular emissions.
The number of vehicles entering the Colombo city today is 362,000 per
day compared to only 80,000 per day in 1980. Due to the open market
economy, the active vehicular stock which was 109,520 in 1970 has
increased to 1,438,910 in 2005 without the concurrent improvement of the
road network. Ranawaka said the extent of environmental damage to the
country as of today is immense, and corrective action is needed
immediately to prevent them deteriorating further to a point of no
return and to preserve the environment in a sustainable manner for the
use of posterity.
“Much of the development activities has now become unsustainable and
as such it will lead to grave environmental damage that will halt
country’s development process,” he said. He said the commitment and the
role of IEPSL as the umbrella organization is very important to reduce
these damages.
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