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I refer to your editorial under heading 'Slum dwellers' (DN March 7)
which has some good thoughts for the Ministry of Housing and the Urban
Development Council to take into consideration.
The City of Colombo cannot be left as it is, specially in regard to
the slums that are an eye-sore. For example, if you travel via Grandpass
Road towards Baseline Road, the slums on either side are a pitiful
sight.
At a glance, it appears a vast land to have been occupied by those
slum dwellers. Here, surely several flats could be put up with four or
five storeys and the existing unpleasantness could be erased.
While to those living there, it is a health hazard as a dirty,
uncleaned and stinking canal is running with unhygienic food stuff being
sold in the vicinity, it is also harmful to the public in numerous ways.
Flats could be the alternative and as you have rightly mentioned in the
editorial most of the city slum dwellers are not willing to vacate
despite suitable alternatives and other facilities being offered.
Shanty houses could be seen along most important roads and in the
eyes of foreigners, we are still an undeveloped country.
To cover these ugly sights, whether while walking or travelling in
buses, the temporary measures will be to build high parapet walls along
such roads where there are slums and cover them. This may appear to be
absurd yet there is no alternative.
Constructing skyscrapers alone will not make the city better unless
something is done to the slum dwelling population.
NAZLY CASSIM, Colombo 13
According to Highways and Road Development Minister Jeyaraj
Fernandopulle the new Kelaniya flyover project has created a new
landmark in the highways and road development sector. This construction
has created a world record. Similar projects are proposed to ease
traffic conjestion.
The constant delay of traffic entering from the North of Colombo via
Victoria and Kandy Road bridges have caused much hardship, to daily
travellers to Colombo. To add to this hardship vehicles approaching from
Negombo Road are barred from entering Kandy Road at Peliyagoda junction
except for VIP vehicles.
The Katunayake Colombo Expressway was a long felt need in Sri Lanka.
It appears the Government has given the highest priority to implement
this project and is looking for a funding source.
To ease this traffic conjestion a new bridge at Mattakkuliya across
the Kelani Ganga was constructed almost six years ago. It was intended
to link the road from Negombo to Mattakkuliya via Hendala along the road
parallel to the Hamilton Canal. The bridge is completed but the link
road on the south end of the bridge to Aluthmawatha at Mattakkuliya is
not constructed yet.
The North end of the bridge is linked to Negombo town via Hendala and
Pamunugama towns. It is a faster approach serving the Negombo Ja-ela and
Wattala areas.
This road is a viable alternative and would make the journey to
Colombo faster avoiding conjested towns like Ja-ela, Kandana, Wattala
and Peliyagoda along Peliyagoda Negombo A3 highway.
According to RDA sources, the process of acquiring land required for
the road is held up or delayed due to various reasons.
At present, light vehicles move along a narrow lane linking
Aluthmawatha to this bridge. Only one way traffic is allowed during the
peak hours and two vehicles cannot cross each other along this road.
If this road to this new bridge is constructed, rush hour traffic
from Colombo Fort could proceed along Aluthmawatha and Mattakkuliya to
Negombo or to the Katunayake airport within a short time.
Also the traffic to and from the A3 highway could be diverted via the
Tudella, Kandana Hendala and Wattala junctions.
Much of the traffic congestion at two main bridges over the Kelani
river could be averted.
This appeal is to you the Minister of Highways to intervene to
complete this vital road linking Aluthmawatha as early as possible until
the proposed Katunayake Colombo Expressway is completed.
H.M.TISSERA, Kandana
The Garbage Management Authority of the Environmental Ministry and
the Solid Waste Management Authority of the Local Government Ministry
made known mid last year, the implementation of a garbage disposal
scheme beginning 2008.
The scheme envisaged and promised by the Government Ministers have
now been 'shelved' for another unbelievable three years, possibly to
coincide with end of their Ministerial terms and tenures. An
insignificant Urban Council, Weligama, in the meantime, have given the
problem so much importance that they are miles ahead into the future
with their inherent enthusiasm coupled with the innovative expertise of
Dr. Pilaptiiya, an environmentalist.
The delay in implementing the processing of garbage in spite of the
now available 'sure-fire' guidelines and blueprints available is not
understood at all. Possible difficulties may be the non-availability of
transport vehicles like converted scooter trishaws for the conveyance of
items like glass, polythene, paper, tins, etc., equipped with gunny bags
/ canvas sacks.
The big dumper type vehicle can carry on with conveying bulk refuse,
like fruits, leaves, food items from hotels, markets, schools etc.
A circular letter down the line upto the Village Council grassroot
levels instructing collection of varied rubbish on a colour coded basis
should have had overtures for practicality and follow-up.
Sri Lanka could have been a beacon to all South East Asian countries
having the same problems.
W. MEADOWS, Dehiwala
If you go to any big or small town in this country you can buy
imported apples, grapes, oranges, naran, pears and peach from a number
of shops, stalls and pavement hawkers. But it is sad to say our
indigenous fruits are not freely available except in one or two places.
Even varieties of plantains are only available in a few places.
Papaws, mangoes, pineapples are not in plenty. Even during the fruit
season these fruits are not available in plenty for the local public. So
people are compelled to go for imported apples, oranges and grapes.
The truth is always bitter. Why are the locals deprived of their
native fruits, because of the export of our fruits to foreign countries?
I should like to suggest to the authorities to think of the national
interests first and ban the export of local fruits. This will curtail
the importing of fruits.
D. M. P. B. Dissanayake, Kegalle
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