Janashakthi partners with Lanka Jalani for better water security
View(s):Janashakthi Insurance and Lanka Jalani-The Sri Lanka Water Partnership (SLWP) made a joint call on August 27 for cooperation to safeguard Sri Lanka’s fresh water sources, at a special forum held in Colombo.
In a media release on the event, Janashakthi said it has facilitated several community development activities aimed at improving the water quality in the Maha Oya area.
The upper part of the catchment area in the Maha Oya faces a number of environmental problems. These include soil erosion, unplanned settlement, water tapping for mini hydro power projects and the direct discharge of effluent from factories and urban waste into the river- all of which have contributed significantly to degrade the water quality in this area, a survey conducted in partnership with the University of Colombo revealed.
Janashakthi worked with the SLWP to provide the area with rainwater harvesting tanks, with the aim of improving water, sanitation and hygiene conditions in this area. They also worked to encourage the spirit of environmental preservation in school children, helping them to set up herbal gardens in their schools.
They also conducted tree planting activities in order to prevent further soil erosion in the Maha Oya catchment area. A stakeholder forum was also formed with all segments of the local community, with awareness about the cause being spread through posters and stickers, the release said.
“As a socially responsible insurer, we felt it was our duty to step up and support this vital cause,” said General Manager- Sales and Marketing Shehara de Silva.
“As such we worked to spread awareness about responsible water use at all community levels- from women’s groups, which we strengthened through special training programmes, to a children’s Vesak Perahera which was organized around a water conservation theme. We truly believe that we have made a difference to the people in the Maha Oya area”.
Minister of Water Supplies and Drainage Dinesh Gunawardena attended the event as Chief Guest, and addressed the gathering, while Mr. Ajith de Alwis, Professor of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Moratuwa delivered the keynote address “.