• Earthquake and landslide warnings

• Solution to the garbage issue

• 'Police outdone by errant drivers'

• 'Private bus owners'

• Ombudsman for local administration

• Elephants pose danger

• The sanctity of the CFA

• Punishment for serious offences

• Pathetic state of city streets

Earthquake and landslide warnings

SINCE the unheeded calamity caused by the tsunami waves of December 26 more warnings of the spin-offs from that calamity originating from the Peradeniya University Geological Department under Prof. Kapila Dahanayake and the NBRO has been reported in the press.

Evenso, judging from the recent reaction of Prof. Tissa Vitarana, nothing constructive is being done by the National Disaster Management Centre to minimize these predicted disasters. This unit is also being criticised as being ill-equipped to handle this task.

The present warnings arise from the fact that the massive earthquake of December 26 in Indonesia had disturbed the top soils in ten areas of Sri Lanka such as populous areas of Katugastota, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, etc.

The warnings go on to say that with the advent of the heavy S-W Monsoon rains in May that there is a great chance of earthslips occurring in these areas portending great loss to life and property.

The correct way of Disaster Management would be (1) to identify areas where tremors had been felt in these ten locations, (2) to visually and physically identify sites susceptible to slides in these areas, (3) to carryout soil investigation and engineering analysis of the safety of each location against sliding, and give appropriate warnings for people to move out of those sites.

Such an analysis could readily be carried out by the Engineering Departments of the Geological Department, the Universities and by the NBRO and others.

Only a comparatively small amount of funding is necessary for this exercise, and the Treasury should forthwith release these funds from the massive funds received for tsunami, since this exercise is a spin-off from the tsunami earthquake.

Neglect and postponement of this exercise by the Disaster Management Unit may result in another calamity.

The authorities should personally pursue this matter where there's a threat to life as well as important school buildings occupied by children, and leave no stone unturned to achieve this objective in time, for which the innocent people will be ever so grateful, and avoid mental agony when the rains do arrive.

C.C. - Kandy.

Solution to the garbage issue

STINKY organic garbage can be separated and put into a bio-digester to generate Methane. Methane can be burnt in gas engines to generate electricity. The by-products of this process become fertilizers and can be used in agriculture industry.

This will kill 3 birds in one stone. It will solve the garbage disposal issue, power crisis and issues with fertiliser.

I think this is the best solution for Sri Lanka as the investment is worthwhile as it generates significant revenue.

The simple pay back period of a project like this will be around 6 to 8 years.

SHANTHA WANIGATHUNGA - Australia.

'Police outdone by errant drivers'

WHILE endorsing above captioned letter by C.V. Janz (DN March 14) 1 like to add a few comments.

According to the police reports more than 60% of the three wheel drivers are not competent to drive and non conversant with road rules, manners, highway code and they have taken the law into their hands.

Local authorities and local police stations have totally ignored this problem and are reluctant to take remedial measures to arrest the implementation of the law of the jungle by the three wheel and private bus mafia.

As an example Panadura Main Street and Janapriya Mawatha are one-way roads.

But almost all the three wheelers break this law even in front of the police officers on duty, we can't understand why they are turning a blind eye.

Despite so many bus accidents on the new Galle Road from Panadura to Moratuwa, almost all the outstation bus drivers speed beyond the limit and always keep to the right blocking the entire road.

Police Department can't take legal action against these errant drivers due to the threatening trade union action of the private bus mafia.

W. S. FERNANDO - Wadduwa.

'Private bus owners'

APROPOS, your editorial of April 29. It has long been felt that private bus owners are a law unto themselves. According to my opinion two main reasons for their high handed actions being political patronage and police protection as relatives and henchmen of politicos and policemen being bus owners.

It was only a week before the Alawwa tragedy that a bus conductor was said to have been burned inside a stationary vehicle along the Colombo/Negombo Road, due to a private feud.

The private bus owners association in that instance threatened to resort to strike action, unless the offenders were brought to book, but a week later when about 33 persons were burned to death inside a bus due to the carelessness of its own crew, surprisingly no action has so far been contemplated by the so called bigwigs of this all powerful association, which even threatened to take unilateral decisions to increase bus fares if fuel prices went up.

Why don't they call upon all their members to make financial contributions and give such collections to the Ministry of Transport which has agreed to meet the funeral expenses of victims at Rs. 25000 in each case, and also be mindful of their social responsibilities and be of assistance to the other victims?

The police authorities even now will have to deal sternly with bus crews which violate traffic rules, and especially against those who stop anywhere and everywhere to collect passengers.

Why isn't the National Transport Commission unable to enforce the rule that tickets will have to be issued and that fare tables have to be exhibited in all buses however dingy and incommodious they are?

Discourtesy among bus crews is another cause of irritation to commuters although they have several among this repulsive breed to whom they are uncles or aunties according to the way they are addressed to.

A.D.C. - Moratuwa.

Ombudsman for local administration

THERE is no need for a special Ombudsman to inquire into complaints against local bodies.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration 'Ombudsman' entertains complaints against local bodies as well. I know of two cases of complaints against a Municipal Council that the Ombudsman inquired and gave the order, but the Municipal authorities did not carry out these orders.

What is required is to give more power to the Ombudsman to grant quick relief to an aggrieved party by compelling the errant authorities in the local bodies to carry out his orders.

If no regard or attention is paid to the findings and order given by the Ombudsman, and no corrective action is taken against the wrong doer, it will perpetuate the inaction, lethargy and indifference which will inhibit the progress of the country.

It is my view that the authority like Ombudsman must have wide powers, so that an aggrieved individual can bring to his notice (without incurring any expense) and attention, the misdeeds of the officials in the bureaucracy and reform the shirkers and make them duty conscious.

A.C. DE SILVA - Dehiwala.

Elephants pose danger

THE elephant human conflict has increased in the areas of the Galgamuwa electorate of the North Western Province. Wild elephants are roaming at night and the residents in the areas Giribawa, Pothanegama, Weerapokuna, Warawewa and Thambuththa are afraid to go along the roads when dusk falls.

The devastation, caused by elephants to the crops of the poor farmers and houses is also on the increase.

Though the Wild Life Department has been informed of this dangerous situation, no action has so far been taken to capture these roaming jumbos and send them to another forest area. As the lives of the people of the above areas are at risk, immediate action should be taken to control the situation.

It's the duty of the authorities of the Wild Life Department to remedy the situation.

L.W. GAMINI C. KUMARA - Colombo.

The sanctity of the CFA

FROM the outset it could be said that the CFA/MOU lacked sanctity and credibility. It was signed way back in 2002 by two citizens of Sri Lanka-one a Prime Minister of Sri Lanka who has now been relegated to the Opposition as its leader and the head of the Tiger terrorist group.

The prime minister who signed this agreement was not head of State. Now even the very human existence of the Tiger leader who signed it is in grave doubt after the tsunami. With this background the very agreement and the MOU appears to be brittle and floundering.

The CFA/MOU was brokered by the Norwegians well before the 2001 parliamentary elections with Ranil Wickremesinghe making flying visits to Norway to encourage the process.

It was signed by stealth one party signing it in Kilinochchi and the other in Colombo both eagerly overseen by the Norwegian ambassador Westborg. The head of the Sri Lankan state was nowhere in the frame, so much for the credibility of the document.

Over the past three years it has been said over and over again that the ceasefire has been held. Whatever validity this document holds it has all along been strictly followed by the Sri Lanka security forces while it is common knowledge that the LTTE has flouted it with impunity.

ARAVINDA GAUTAMADASA - Nawala .

Punishment for serious offences

WHEN will deterrent punishment be meted out to serious offenders in Sri Lanka?

Very often we hear of a private bus in the outstations, overtaking another vehicle at excessive speed, without ascertaining that the road ahead is clear and coming into head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle.

At least the recent rail road collision in Allawwa should open the eyes of authorities responsible to curb avoidable tragedies of this nature by punishing errant drivers, so as to discipline them adequately.

In the criminal field, the Police are engaged today in a continuous exercise of arresting underworld gangs with illicit firearms and other criminals possessing illicit liquor, heroin, lorry loads of illicit timber etc.

These efforts of the Police will be in vain when deterrent punishment is not meted out to such criminals.

G. G. J. - Kotte.

Pathetic state of city streets

AFTER almost 25 years of living abroad I happened to pass by some streets in the city of Colombo and was shocked to see their pathetic state.

I have been to several countries and so did many of our leaders. I wonder how our leaders do not feel shame at the state of these city streets.

I am so distressed to see the condition of some of these streets which reflect badly on the image of the country. Unbelievably, the dilapidated state of these roads have not changed a bit during the past 25 years.

They remain the same. Wolfendhal Street, 5th Cross Street, 4th Cross Street, Maliban Street are a few worthy of mention here.

C. Ratnavadivel - Colombo 13.