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Photo focus: Noise pollution endangering marine life in Mirissa
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Text and Pix by P D De Silva
Tourists, hotel owners and environmentalists complain that beach parties which continue into the early hours of the morning and beyond the legal time limit is doing more harm than good to the tourist industry.
According to reports, locals are not welcomed to these parties held on the Mirissa beach on a daily basis during the height of the tourist season. The sessions often continue until dawn.
Dr Terny Pradeep Kumara, General Manager of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA), said the use of high powered laser beams and high decibel music which are used at night at these beach parties endangered marine life on the shoreline
Dr. Kumara revealed the Mirissa beach has been a natural nesting ground for sea turtles, but since the advent of the beach parties and disturbance levels the mammals are shying away from the area.
He emphasised that if the authorities do not take immediate action to control the situation, the tourist industry would be the ultimately sufferer.
Meanwhile a large number of tourists and local residents said that despite their complaints to the police against noise pollution which go on till 3 – 4 in the morning, no action has been taken.
Beach party: Beach parties like this one go until the wee hours of the morning disturbing the both marine life and residents.
Environmentalists warn the laser beams and high decibel music endangered shoreline marine life
Locals are not welcomed at these beach parties
This young woman said she was cutting short her stay due to the disturbing beach parties
Dr. Kumara of the MEPA warned these parties are driving turtles away from their nesting grounds
The Mirissa beach by day
Earlier the Mirissa beach was a family-friendly one