Letters to the Editor
View(s):Let us take some steps to resolve controversy over burial of COVID victims
The decision to cremate dead bodies on a mandatory basis had been taken by the authorities, fearing that burial will cause the spread of the COVID virus by seepage through the soil and in most areas in Sri Lanka, where the water table is high.
Two Committees of specialists appointed I believe, by the Health Ministry have arrived at two conflicting views after lengthy discussions, with one Committee agreeing that burials will not cause problems while the other disagrees. Furthermore, whilst a global authority on viruses, Prof. Malik Peiris has stated that no contamination is possible through viruses on dead bodies and that burial will not result in transmission of the virus through soil and water by seepage, the Daily Mirror has a view expressed by Prof. Priyantha Yapa of the Agricultural Faculty in the Sabaragamuwa University, that Coronavirus in dead bodies could be alive even for 100 years, if buried. He further states that similar viruses including Ebola, Polio and Spanish Fever had been found germinating after hundreds of years. He also states that no medical scientists had yet confirmed that the Coronavirus in dead bodies would be sterile when buried.
This controversy had also become a local political issue and a global issue, with a global Muslim organization threatening legal action against the Government of Sri Lanka. It can also become an issue in that the fundamental rights of certain individuals belonging to minority religions are under threat.
Should this complicated issue not be resolved early, the Government of Sri Lanka can be embarrassed at international human rights forums.
In these circumstances, I am suggesting a practical method of handling burials while preventing contamination of soil or ground water by construction of a large underground tank which is waterproof. Such tanks, could be constructed at all Muslim and Christian burial grounds and filled with soil which was dug for construction of the tank, in which the bodies can be buried accordingly in keeping with traditional beliefs and customs.
I am advised by a friend in the construction field that such a tank should be concrete lined and waterproofed in addition if necessary. My view is that a tank of the dimensions 8 feet deep by 10 feet wide and 20 feet long could accommodate up to 10 bodies. Each mosque or church could anticipate the number of burials that would occur in the future and construct tanks to meet their particular requirement. If such underground tanks are filled to capacity within a year, another similar tank can be constructed.
Constructing such a tank would be quite an expensive operation, but in a bid to overcome this serious situation, I believe the Government should subsidize such constructions.
Mahendra Amarasuriya Via email
It’s time that Moratuwa had its own hospital
The northern boundary of Moratuwa begins just past the School for the Blind in Ratmalana and its southern boundary ends at the Modera bridge. In between runs the Galle Road for about 15 miles. On either side are byroads and lanes leading to 18 suburbs. Whenever a resident of Moratuwa needs medical care they would need to go to either to the Colombo South Hospital at Kalubowila or the Panadura Hospital.
The Mayor and Municipal Councillors seem to be quite unaware of the sad plight of the people who elected them to office. Health care is a primary need of the people. Such services must be conveniently and quickly accessible.
Sometime ago there was a hospital in Lunawa which is one of the suburbs of Moratuwa with an MOH in charge. However the tsunami of December 2004 devastated the homes of those living on the coastal belt and the Moratuwa MC built flats on the spacious Lunawa Hospital premises. Thereby the people who lost their homes were given alternate accomodation but in the process the people of Moratuwa lost their only hospital.
The mayor should discuss the need for a hospital with the MP for Moratuwa and seek funds for the construction of a hospital. In fact, this promise was made by the former MP but never fulfilled.
A concerned resident Moratuwa
Why was week-long event allowed in the face of COVID?
Over 250 devotees flocked to the Soysapura Sri Sambodhi Nugashrama Viharaya for week-long katina pinkama ceremonies even amidst the lurking virus which kept neighbouring Angulana isolated for some time.
There were also loudspeakers on top of lamp posts on public roads including the entrance to the housing complex on Galle Road and also Angulana Station Road almost half a kilometre from the temple. The high decibel volume disrupted ordinary life. Students grappling with online studies, the old and infirm all were affected as the sermons interspersed with advertisements and announcements were broadcasted daily. An all-night pirith ceremony also disrupted residents’ sleep.
Why did the Mount Lavinia Police allow such indiscriminate use of loudspeakers in public spaces when the law clearly prohibits it? Other temples confined their katina pinkamas to a single day with a loudspeaker.
At this time when our country is battling a deadly virus, people’s safety and preventing the spread of the virus should be taken heed of – not having 250 people crowded into a hall and taking part in a procession.
A group of residents Soysapura, Moratuwa
I hope my grievance will be redressed soon
I retired from Government Service at the age of 55 years in 1995 and completed 25 years in retirement in 2020. I am 82 now.
I have contributed to the W&OP Fund for nearly 35 years and now there will be no one to claim it after my death as my wife has passed away.
However I am still getting a monthly pension of Rs. 21,000 inspite of the high cost of living prevalent today. My pension number is 350011.
I hope the President would be kind enough to consider these facts and increase my monthly pension to suit my living needs out of respect for elders.
W.L.C.Fernando Panadura