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I was born in Colombo, a city well-known for its cleanliness and
garden image during my childhood in the 1950s. It was a privilege at
that time to be called a Colombo resident.
What a change over the years! Can we consider it a privilege any more
to be living in Colombo? The city has turned out to be a miserable place
to live in. Who is responsible for this decadence?
The city managers have failed to solve many a problem that has
plagued the city. The present administrators have proved that they are
utterly incompetent and incapable of managing the city. There are heaps
and heaps of garbage piled up all over and the stench emanating is
unbearable.
The drains are permanently clogged with no passage for storm water,
making mini lakes and puddles everywhere, whenever it rains. In some low
lying areas water remain stagnant for days, making them breeding grounds
for mosquitoes.
The Mosquito Breeding Prevention Act was passed in Parliament
recently. Who would be punished under this Act - the incompetent city
managers for uncleared garbage and puddles of water or the innocent
residents?
The problem of garbage seems to be common to all local bodies in the
Western Province. It is reported that the Western Province Solid Waste
Management Authority has drawn up a plan for disposal of garbage in the
entire province, and it will be completed by the end of 2007.
Environment Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka had said at the opening
of the Garbage Management Centre that local Government authorities who
fail to dispose of garbage after the national policy for garbage
disposal is implemented will be severely dealt with. Will it ever happen
that way and can we imagine the garbage problem will be over?
P. RATNAPALA - Colombo 9
Reference the letter on the above subject by Joseph Fernando of
Nawala (DN Oct. 13). I wholeheartedly agree with him. State banks do not
give any concessions. However, some private banks give some concessions,
in the way of issuing ‘Senior Citizens’ Identity Cards’ which entitles
the holder to transact business without waiting in the queues. This is a
concession which the State banks do not give.
As to concessions when buying goods, the reductions are very small.
Some of the goods are beyond the reach of the elderly.
Some banks give one per cent extra interest on the fixed deposits
tied up for one year or more. One private bank gifts a valuable
wristwatch to those who reach the age of sixty or above provided that
they maintain a certain sum of money for a fixed period. I was a
recipient of such a valuable gift. Some State banks shamelessly go back
on their promises.
Why cannot they issue ‘Senior Citizens’ Identity Cards?
G. H. I. DE ZOYSA
Since the Supreme Court delivered their decision on the control of
sound emission, there have been several observations, expressed by both
the religious dignitaries, artists etc. who feel, will be affected by
the rules and others who welcome the decision of the Supreme Court.
In my opinion, this matter should be viewed rationally and with
equanimity by all concerned. Both, those who object and support, have a
case which either party should have some respect for whilst not
infringing the rights of either party.
In a place of religious worship, the faithful have a right to clearly
hear the broadcast. The same position applies to a musical show. At the
same time, it would be unfair to disturb others who are away from the
premises and not in the least interested in the programme.
In the present state, the sound is amplified to such an extent that
it is jarring and disturbing the neighbourhood causing a nuisance to
those who desire a peaceful atmosphere.
Do they not have as much a right to expect this? What most people, I
presume, object to, is the loud broadcast which disturbs the life of the
citizens who wish to and have a right to enjoy peaceful living.
Therefore, the logical conclusion would be to confine the sound level
to comfortable limits within the hearing range of those who have
assembled to listen to that programme.
Under these conditions I feel that all concerned will be satisfied. I
remember when my daughter was studying for her Advanced Levels the early
morning broadcast from a temple at least 400 metres from my house was a
disturbance.
There are others who wish to spend a few hours in meditation. There
are still others in our neighbourhood turning their radios full blast
that the sound pollutes the entire area. Invariably I am unable to
listen to my own programme in my own home without being disturbed.
On some weekends sports meets and other religious functions are
conducted in a playground situated about 200 metres from where I live.
The volume from loudspeakers is radiated full blast that the people
in the neighbourhood begin to curse. The efforts of the local welfare
association could do nothing through the Police or the Municipality to
safeguard the rights of the members to peaceful living.
The organisers of these functions should be given firm orders and
educated to restrict the sound level within the comfortable limits of
those participating without causing a nuisance to others in the
vicinity. This is a place where the print and electronic media can play
a vital role.
Another source of nuisance is the sound emitted by many
three-wheelers, motor cycles and other vehicles where the mufflers are
either defective or have been removed.
They have made the neighbourhood a racetrack. When these vehicles
pass my house the programme I am listening to is virtually suppressed.
It is a pity that the police do not apprehend these offenders and
warn them to refit mufflers to limit the sound of exhaust gas to the
recommended levels.
If those involved abide by the rule at least to the extent of
covering the principle of ‘Live and let live’ and learn to respect the
rights of others, I am sure that all concerned will be satisfied.
JAYA PEIRIS
We have seen a record increase in the price of food and fuel. These
are the essentials that the average person cannot live with.
The huge cry is well justified that the prices of imported milk
powder has gone up, the price of bread has gone up, petrol price is
going up. Well and true these prices are going up and the people are
facing untold difficulty with record Cost of Living.
But I wonder what the story is with 'Smoke and booze'. We in Sri
Lanka pride ourselves, as a nation we have the highest per capita booze
consumption. I am sure smoke too will be in the same direction.
Now has the price of booze and smokes gone up or come down. I am at a
loss to see that no one seems to grumble of prices when it comes to
'Booze and smoke'. Meanwhile, the Distilleries Corporation won an award
for the most profitable and the best managed companies.
In Sri Lanka, the tavern business is a guaranteed success.
Fortunately or unfortunately the tavern operation seems to be a growth
industry. Now comes the question, why only cry over high food prices,
why not cry over the high 'Booze and smoke' price for they too have gone
up in price, I am sure.
As it was told to me and the way how I interprit poverty in Sri Lanka
today, Sri Lanka with a per capita income of $ 1300, is not a poor
country.
It is been made poor by the degeneration of social values in
particular by excessive consumption of booze and smokes. I am sure, no
matter how high the booze and smokes is, they will never give up
drinking and smoking.
Old habits die hard!
UPUL ARUNAJITH – Canada
I would like to bring to your notice that, if we are to keep up with
our culture and traditions do we have to use words like machang, umba,
waren, palayan, ado, yako, mehata waren, ooh, moo etc. which comes to my
mind. Some of these words can be replaced by calling someone by his name
instead of machang, mehetaenna instead of waren, karunakarala yanna
instead of palayan.
I am telling this to you from first hand experience when my daughter
went to her grandmother’s and saw that whatever the offerings she made
to the Buddha Pooja, my daughter made a bad comment to her grandmother.
When I questioned her why she said a word like that her answer to me
was that she had seen and heard this word on Sri Lankan TV programmes
and also the village children with whom she has been playing with use
it. It is a long story I do not have the time to write.
I attended a funeral of my acquaintance’s mother-in-law. “Ado meheta
waren ewith methaning indaganing.” A similar incident occurred in a
foreign country where the driver of an Embassy addressed me as “Machang
mang umbata methana weda okkoma alla dennag” over the telephone and
there was another officer in his car and he completely denied the
driver’s way of speaking to me like the way that I mentioned.
These sort of things happen in the cinema too.
I hope that the authorities will put a stop to it by not allowing
this sort of words being used in films, as it does not take much money
to put a stop to it as almost all the Governments like to go for cheap
popularity to satisfy the masses.
RANJITH LOWE
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