Illegal sand mining:
Severe environmental problem at Deduru Oya
M Maharuf - Kurunegala South group corr
The indiscriminate extraction of sand from Deduru-Oya is posing a
severe environmental problem.
Originating from Moronkanda in Matale, Deduru-Oya flows down 139
kilometres to end up in the sea at Chilaw.
Its main characteristics, shallowness, frequency in instant
overflowing of its banks and the capacity to rapidly spill into the sea,
are legendary.
As Deduru-Oya overflows frequently as it is partly dry in between, it
has become a convenient resort to earn quick money by extracting sand.
Entering into its bed at Chilaw, one has to go upstream only 6-7
kilometres to count 15 to 20 spots from where sand is being mined on
large scale. Deduru Oya has its unique features which attract this
practice compared with other streams or rivers in the region where sand
is mostly mined by divers, several feet deep in water. Along the
Deduru-Oya tractors or other tipping vehicles can enter its bed direct
and load sand into them.
The shallowness and the sloping banks stand a blessing in this
exercise. Ma-Oya situated several kilometres to the south of Deduru Oya
was also once a lucrative trade centre extracting and selling sand. But
when environmentally conscious authorities took up the issue and
strictly regulated the extraction, the public living close to the river
along either banks heaved a sigh of relief. At the same time, attention
was shifted to Deduru-Oya where we find an influx of transport vehicles
carrying sand.
These vehicles transporting sand, damage the roads which require
frequent repairs at heavy expenditure. Until such time they are
repaired, these roads remain full of potholes. |