|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Friday, 6 August 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Letters | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Sports Obituaries
|
Please forward your letters to editor@dailynews.lk in plain text format within the e-mail message, since as a policy we do not open any attachments.
Formulate a garbage disposal policy to combat dengue The outbreak of dengue in Sri Lanka this season has reached epidemic proportions amidst discussions, seminars and interviews through the print and electronic media. As a matter of fact, one academic through the electronic media expressed the view that this is about the gravest problem we are faced with right now. Under such circumstances, it is appropriate to consider how the general public views the problem. In a broader sense, the general public consists of the common people, authority and the bureaucracy. Do these three sections of the community attach the same importance and gravity that the learned academic attached to this issue? It is dismaying that the answer is in the negative. In my view the seriousness of the problem lies here, more than the disease itself. I say it is serious when observing the equally lethargic attitude adopted by the general public as a whole towards this surmounting problem. Everybody seems helpless and as a result disinterested in the issue. What will be the fate of the nation, if this helplessness leads to disaster? If a concerted effort is made by the common people to keep the environment clean, they on their part are performing a moral duty. But the sad commentary here is the fact, that this is an instance where the common man, despite being civic-conscious becomes utterly helpless. A personal experience that I had a few weeks ago testifies this point. The general belief that dengue eradication starts with garbage disposal is an accepted theory. Ironically enough, it is here that the common citizen becomes so helpless. In the absence of a planned garbage disposal system, the common citizen who is in effect a rate-payer is at a loss to understand where the garbage collected in their gardens should be dumped. Due to various reasons beyond their control they are not in a position to bury or burn the garbage in their own gardens by digging pits. The co-operation and assistance sought from provincial authorities in the disposal of garbage have been of no avail. Does not the huge collections of garbage stacked in home gardens breed mosquitoes? It is inevitable that views expressed by lay people (people who are alien to specified, such as the writer) are not given serious consideration. Therefore, it is quite expected that the views aired in the article would not be underscored and treated with utmost disregard. The need to formulate a planned garbage disposal policy should be given the highest priority in the public agenda as a first step towards eradicating dengue. It invariably lies in the hands of our scientists and environmentalists. This is the time they must come forward with their innovative ideas in the best interest of the community. They indeed have a bounden duty towards their fellow-beings. Vivette Silva - Upper Kotmale and Norochcholai Power Plants Udaya Jayasinghe in his letter July 27 has again raised the question of Norochcholai Coal Power Project, which has been conclusively studied by world experts, Local Engineers and Consultants to be feasible and viable. I do not know to what profession Mr. Jayasinghe belongs to. Let us not be pseudo experts, sooth-sayer, Pena Karayas to contest the expert opinions. To comment on his statement "The necessity to borrow funds from Japan under JJBJC loan will consume at least a few years. The protest that will be lodged with the Japanese Government by the residents of the area and religious dignitaries, will prevent the Government, from funding the building of a coal power station at Norochcholai". He seem to be unaware that JBJC was to fund this project soon after the investigations, if the Government of Sri Lanka made a formal request. Unfortunately, due to unreasonable objections and the Government's lackadaisical attitude, mainly on 'vote catching' reason, this was not done. In fact, for the information of Mr. Jayasinghe, I quote a statement made by Maomi Miwa, Chief Representative of the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation, as reported in the Sunday Observer of 14.10.01 which goes as follows - "Giving an additional twist to the search for a solution to the power crisis, the Chief Representative of the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation (JBJC) Maomi Miwa revealed that the Government has not made a formal request from the Japanese Government to set up a coal power plant, although they have carried out a feasibility study in March last year. If request is made we will review the position and decide to assist the new proposals that come from Sri Lanka Government." Miwa pointed out that if Sri Lanka began the project in 1999 when it was initially proposed, it would have been producing a capacity of around 900 Mw to the national grid at present. "Yet, if there is any idea of shifting the project to some other area, the feasibility study should be done again which will take another two years and additional heavy cost". The feasibility study of this project had cost around Nine million Us dollars and was completed in March 2000. Three units of 300 Mw each was proposed, and the loan agreement which was 500 million US dollars was signed in July, 1994." Then comes a more damning, anti-national, rabble rousing instigating statement "The protest that will be lodged with the Japanese Government by the residents of the area and religious dignitaries will prevent any Government including the Japanese Government from funding the building of a coal power station at Norochcholai". This is clearly a venomous idea to rouse the religious feelings which I presume, the Catholics and the Catholic Church will not fall a prey. The question of the security of the Holy Shrine at Talawila, 13 km away from Norochcholai has been specially studied by foreign consultants, M/s. Ramboll of Denmark, a choice of the Bishop of Chilaw, who in no uncertain terms has said that the siting of this plant at Norochcholai will have no adverse effects on the Holy Shrine, not even be a nuisance to the neighbourhood. As for the Japanese Government funds, Japan is a very advanced country having a very soft corner for Sri Lanka and if the Sri Lanka Government makes a formal request, they will readily grant same, as they have been a party to the investigations of the site which to them is very feasible. The present Minister for Power and Energy, Susil Premajayantha has, when taking office, in no uncertain terms has said that he will go ahead with the project for the nations' good, to take 'Rata Perata'. I believe, he is one who stands by convictions and word, and not waver as done by his predecessors. G. A. D. SIRIMAL - Medical facilities for pensioners This is to call for the attention of the Director of Health Services and the Director of the Colombo South Kalubowila Hospital in particular, regarding the total ignorance-genuine or pretended - display by some of the medical personnel regarding the requirement of extending a degree of priority to the pensioners who call for medical advice and treatment at the hospital as provided for in Circular No. 3087 dated 23.09.89 of the Director of Health Services. I am a State retiree, well past the biblical span, and on visiting the ENT Unit of Kalubowila Hospital on 29. 07. 2004 for advice and treatment, was met with a rebuff at the hands of ENT surgeon (Not the Chief Surgeon) on the score that she knows of no such circular or had received no information to that effect, and as such if treatment is necessary, I should follow the trodden path to her presence - her companion, a greenhorn of a surgeon joining in chorus. If there is truth in the statement that she was not made to know of such a circular (which is strange for a senior hand) then the administration appears to have defaulted somewhere but on the contrary, she adopted this attitude through sheer cussedness, she needs to be shown her limits and advised against impulsive and insensitive conduct, besides defying a departmental circular covering the welfare of the aged. Let it be known that this is a concession the retirees got not by strikes and threats as was resorted to, by the medical fraternity, but by appealing to the heartstrings of the authorities and, what is clearly observed here is an attempt to undermine this concession - a mindset deserving early counselling. These worthies should remember the inevitable fact that they themselves are subject to decay and would have to join the ranks of the pensioners one day and may sometimes have to fall back on this very circular which they view with repugnance now. U. WIRASINHA - There have been numerous delays in the release of the EPF especially to the estate workers. In most instances, the delay is caused by the change in names in the documents, i.e. the original membership application form and application for withdrawal. The original application forms were filled up in late 1959 when EPF was introduced. At that time, especially the women who were unmarried and gave their maiden names for the application forms, had their names changed subsequent to marriage, and in such instances, the department querying the change in the name is understandable. From personal experience, I am aware that a subject clerk who dealt with EPF application forms in 1959, a Tamil, who was not conversant with Sinhala names, simply wrote the father's name as he was known and called, i.e. without the 'ge' name. For example, if the father was, say Banda, and the applicant son's name was Premadasa, the clerk concerned wrote the applicant's name as 'B. Premadasa', which would have caused him problems when he applied for his EPF monies on retirement. Here too the Department's query on the difference in the names is understandable. However, the EPF department querying difference in names due to a change in the spelling is not understood. For example, the name Palaniammah could also be written as Palaniyammah and both names sound same. There is no set spelling for names be it Tamil or Sinhala. When such letters are received on the estate it takes at least a week for the reply to go out. That it takes several months for the department to process an application and even years is another matter. The department should be more flexible in matters of this nature and should only ask for explantation, if and when the difference is of a serious nature. I concede that the department should make 10 per cent sure that the payment is made to the correct person, but as I have stated above, a mere change in the spelling whilst the name remains the same and sounds the same, should not be a cause for the delay in releasing payments. DAVID WILLIAMS - Pensioners have become tensioners. They are in full tension. Blood pressure, diabetes and other diseases among the pensioners may be traced to the tension they have been undergoing after their retirement. Pensioners who retired many years ago are the worst hit. The previous government some months ago announced that they would give pension adjustments and give relief to the pensioners. But the parliamentary election came and saved them! The present Government is now looking to achieve it with the Tissa Devendra report! In the meantime, the pensioners might get permanent relief from God Almighty by taking them away. ARUL - |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
