Sunday Times 2
Saving the environment: Not a one-day job
The year of promises, resolutions and pledges is gone. Now it is the Year of Action, Pohottuwa activists have declared and the UNPers are asking: Where’s the Action?
The year kicked off under a One Million Tree Campaign with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa himself planting a sapling in the garden at his home.
‘A Growing Tree for a Growing Nation’ is the call of the organisers. Certainly, may a million trees grow and bloom. But being a sceptical observer of enthusiastic environmentalists for many years, it must be said that planting trees in the light of TV cameras alone won’t make trees take root and grow. Trees must be nurtured, watered, protected for years if trees are to be green giants, years later.
Thurstan Road: Today, in Colombo, we see only the remnants of the Garden City. Pic by M.D. Nissanka
In 1977 when JRJ swept the polls and took over, his enthusiastic supporters led by the then Lake House Chairman inaugurated a massive tree planting campaign in Colombo. They planted tree saplings all over Colombo’s main roads and press cameramen (there was no TV then) spread it across the front pages of Lake House papers. Colombo was once again to become the Garden City of the East, we the journalists wrote, as told. Months passed while the planted saplings withered away in the scorching heat of Colombo’s tarred roads. We recall only a few planted on the pavement opposite Lake House took root. And one or two trees we recalled seeing some time ago when we passed the establishment.
Sramadana campaigns by environmentalists to keep Colombo and other towns clean have been many, over the years, but these urban centres stubbornly refuse to surrender their insanitary status. We saw this January 1 pictures of many attractive young ladies and smart young bucks in the papers and on TV cleaning up beaches. All very good. But ‘One swallow does not make a summer’ nor quench a thirst, a veteran at Our Waterhole added. Respectable middle class vandals living by the seaside will keep dumping garbage on beaches as they have done for years. Constant vigilance by the authorities and vigilantes are required.
Environmental care and protection is not a one-off thing, we are all aware. Constant commitment and dedication is required. Today, in Colombo, we see only the remnants of the Garden City of Asia that the British left us. The British imperialists created in Colombo 7 and some of its surroundings, leafy flowering avenues that gave Colombo its designation of ‘Garden City’. The giant Mara trees that line Thurstan Road and Bauddhaloka Mawatha (former Bullers Road) are all that remains.
Fifty years ago, as undergrads we walked under the shady green giants of Thurstan Road. A doggerel writer on the campus wrote these words in a journal to immortalise the green giants:
Under these giant rhododendrons, their comforting shade,
Strode daring desperadoes behind girls with tantalising …..
But the days of the last of these giants are numbered. They are all hollow at the centre and this is visible even to passing motorists. Come a strong wind or storm and Colombo 7 would be left without a tree! Not even a sapling has been planted perhaps for a near century! It’s time to plant some trees, not decorate pavements. Perhaps one time Flower Road (now Sir Ernest De Silva Mawatha) without a single flowering tree speaks of the desertification ahead. A veteran policeman, SSP Jilla — now no more — recalled to us walking from Kollupitiya to his school, Royal, through Flower Road which he said was carpeted with fallen Flamboyant flowers.
Protection of the environment requires sane and rational thinking. Political events may kick start emotions that lead to mass campaigns but only through dedication to the cause backed by rational thinking could lead to the objectives being achieved.
Time of transition
Are we now on the threshold of bringing back those glorious days that the Pohottuwa boys and girls keep telling us? Has the old order of talking a lot and not doing anything changed into time of positive action?
Apparently not very much has changed. True, it’s just one day gone in the New Year (as we write this column) but it’s one month since that much hailed momentous change occurred.
Former ministers have been remanded. One has gone to prison for a day and released while the other has followed his predecessors and entered a private hospital. Like old times no? asks a colleague This is not history repeating itself with exactitude but somewhat close to it, was our comment.
Singapore with its capitalist system being bashed by Sri Lankan left of centre politicians was a regular feature over the years. But in recent times they appear to find succour and happiness in sickness and in health in Singapore’s plush hospitals. Today even non politicos — the New Rich, Old Poor, New Poor and Always Poor find solace in the Lion City taking off away from health and legal problems at home.
Rajitha Senaratne cannot be faulted for seeking medical advice from Singaporean doctors if we consider the ‘pleasantries’ that have been exchanged between him and Sri Lanka’s now powerful medico-politicians.
All this is much confusing: Cleaning up corruption, or political revenge, ministers of the interim cabinet announcing sweeping changes in policy on the assumption that they will be in charge of the subjects for life while ignoring the parliamentary election that is just months ahead. Is this election sloganeering or carving political niches for themselves?
This is the time of transition where emotions and political opportunism takes precedence over rational thinking.