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The death of the elephant with the longest tusks in Asia, at the age
of 70, was reported by the BBC on August 4, as ‘Dying after a long
working life as a festival star. This news item created a feeling of
sympathy and the message I got from this was, that the elephants who are
used for labour, parading the streets in perahera or made to frolic to
entertain at the zoo for visitors and given rides to tourists, must be
carefully evaluated for conditions under which they are treated,
especially the age of the elephants.
An elephant cannot talk and defend himself or express pain when he is
getting old. There are so many elephants who go through these
experiences in captivity and the law should reach them as their
protectors.
The issues ‘Age Limit’ must be addressed by the Wildlife Ministry
where the biological evaluation is done by experts. The life span of an
elephant is around 70 to 75, steps must be taken to limit their labour
from the age of 40 to 45. This will discourage people from using
elephants in captivity for labour and let them live in their natural
habitats.
People are ‘retired’ at 55 to 60 because of the immobility of the
body. Let us treat our elephants in the same manner.
Gwen Heart
Coming down, Galle Road from Galle Face and entering the Liberty
Plaza area one wonders who planned the traffic lights. Often when it is
green, one cannot move because the traffic entering the Liberty Plaza
area from Galle Road Kollupitiya blocks traffic movement from Galle Road
from Galle Face end.
This is like the bridge at Dehiwela along Galle Road. When one
travels on the bridge, one gets stuck because the buses travelling on
Galle Road and not using the bridge stop at the stand and impede traffic
movement on the bridge. Have we in Sri Lanka given up town planning?
Sydney Knight
Monks who have settled and stay as temporary Bikkhu students at Moola
Maha Viharaya monastery in Payagala face difficulties without proper
transport system.
This viharaya is an ancient temple and has a historical background
that goes back to 18th century.
This place exists with many difficulties.
Ven Kamburupitiye Munindawansa Thera Payagala
Considering various debates over the Arsenic poison issue, arising
out of a claim that an invisible god has communicated with a scientist
about Arsenic content in ground water in certain geographical areas of
the country, the time has come to establish an institute of
parapsychology in Sri Lanka. Similar faculties have been established in
Western Universities to conduct academic research on the subject.
Scientific community comprise persons who are trained on Scientific
Methodology based on verifiable hypothesis. There is an approved process
for that and acceptance of the proven hypothesis need to follow a
rigorous procedure including peer reviews, publication of research
findings.
These scientific methodology originated from Greeks and later
developed by Europeans. The eastern scientific method is different to
this. It is based on certain degree of communication with the invisible
forces of nature. The latter category of practitioners are allowed to
practice their professions freely in Sri Lanka as seen from the numerous
newspaper advertisements.
In the recent past based on certain planetary movements, a Tsunamis
was predicted by scientists leading to public disturbances during
Sinhala/Tamil New Year period. Though communication with invisible was
not involved in that episode, yet a basis similar to astrological
predictions had been used and later found to be false.
Thus time has come to open a channel for scientists to put forward
their theories to a government regulated body, such as the National
Institute of Parapsychology. This institute could examine all paranormal
claims made by scientists or others and based on verifiability issue a
clarification on the matter.
Since Sri Lanka has many practitioners on paranormal, this type of
governmental regulation is necessary to prevent public confusion.
Establish religions practised in Sri Lanka also does not recognize
these paranormal phenomena. In Brahmajala Sutta, these practices have
been referred to as animal sciences. Catholic church also universally
suspicious about paranormal events, unless strictly subjected to a
process of verifiability.
Therefore government must seriously consider forming of a national
institute on the basis that it has done so in case of traditional forms
of Art, which now enjoys universal status.
The faculty of such an institute can comprise persons who are trained
in both European scientific methods as well as in paranormal sciences.
On any pronouncements made regarding paranormal discoveries, this
institute should have the authority to make a final determination. It
certainly is a need of the time.
P V D Leo Samson, Kandana
While being thankful to the SLBC for the arrangements for cricket
fans to follow the current series of cricket encounters between Sri
Lanka and Australia, it must be noted that the frequent interferences to
the commentaries by the intrusion of commercial advertisements is a
frustrating experience to the listeners. Advertisements often go on past
even the middle of an over, and when the announcer states ‘now a new
over’ (dan nava pandu varayak) the over is almost three deliveries old.
Then, the moment a wicket falls the announcer comes down instantly
spitting out his advertisement/s, leaving the listener in the dark as to
how and under what circumstances the batsman got out.
Some of these advertisements are really short stories and the
announcer seems to give priority to their narration rather than focusing
on cricket.
I hope the SLBC will take action to focus attention on cricket rather
than on advertisements.
Advertisements, yes, but not at the expense of cricket fans’
interests.
H S Rajapakse, Kandy
I have been using the Wadduwa Public library administered by the
management of the Panadura Pradeshiya Sabha for years and would like to
point out several shortcomings of this place.
This library needs a permanent chief librarian as the present
librarian is an acting librarian whose work and service was recommended
by the authority.
The library building is a two-storied building which has been
constructed according to a different and unusual plan. The sideways,
located in the outside of the library building have been totally
occupied by fishermen who sell fish on the Station Road which is very
close to the library.
These fishermen disturb the readers in the Reading Room. Toilets and
the verandah are unclean as they stay in the night at the library on
weekdays, leaving left-overs everywhere on the floor. The whole library
stinks, due to this.
The entire roof of the library building needs to be repaired.
Toilets are not maintained properly and this has inconvenienced
workers. In the reference section, all window panes are damaged. Ceiling
fans and tube lights fixed in the reference room, are also not
maintained.
This building is badly in need of repair and maintenance.
H L Sunil Shantha, Kalutara
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