Letters to the Editor
View(s):Thank you for highlighting a nuisance that most of us suffer in silence
I wish to thank the Sunday Times and journalists Tharushi Weerasinghe and Renishka Fernando for highlighting an issue that affects numerous households in urbanized and residential areas - noise pollution, in the article, ‘It’s complicated: Sri Lanka’s relationship with loudspeakers’ published on November 28. In my view articles like this must go beyond occasional publication in the newspaper to facilitate eradicating this public nuisance which people suffer silently. As quite rightly pointed out, communities are afraid to speak up about this issue.
It would be a great service if the print and electronic media came to the fore to spread public opinion and prod the relevant bodies such as the Central Enviromental Authority, the Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas, the Police and the Grama Sevakas to take action.
Even though the legal framework exists through the Noise Control Act 1996 and its amendments promulgated under the National Environmental Act, they are of little use if the authorities do not take action against noise polluting offenders.
The 1981/2888999 hotlines of the CEA, the different types of units established in the local authorities do not serve the purpose and are little more than a drain on taxpayers’ money. We have 8000 such elected local government personnel and when I brought the issue to the notice of one such representative in my area, I was told the Local Government is not sensitive enough to help households like mine. This is a sad state of affairs. There needs to be a start somewhere and this is where the media could be a great facilitator.
You have also highlighted that the local Police have limited resources to gauge the decibel levels. They should connect with the Industrial Technological Institute which has a unit for the Assessment of Industrial Pollution; they haves the technical know-how and resources to assess the noise and vibration of any given environment, of course for a fee.
I am a senior citizen and lately have been exposed to severe noise pollution and diffusion of highly flammable chemical vapour from a neighbouring garage which starts its operations at 7 a.m. and goes on until 8 p.m., seven days of the week. After retirement, I was re-employed and working from home but this has now been denied to me as it is impossible to work online with the unbearable noise.
In the current context there are thousands of households where people are working from home and schoolchildren have to undertake a large proportion of their studies too online. It is high time we as a community show greater sensitivity to this issue which also includes the noise emanating from places of religious worship.
“Good people do not need laws to tell them how to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws’. Currently how the regulations are applied in my area of residence is leaning towards benefiting those who find a way to break the laws.
Priyantha Fernando Moratuwa
Regulate Professorship appointments by Postgraduate Colleges
As a Senior Professor who has served in academic institutions, I am concerned about the appointment of Professors by Postgraduate Colleges in Sri Lanka. I refer your readers to an article in Wikipedia about appointing or awarding academic ranks in the universities in the UK. To my knowledge the postgraduate colleges like the American College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists or the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in the UK or Australia do not award professorships but they award Honorary fellowships.
The award of Professorships is carried out generally by the Universities to deserving candidates based on their contribution to scholarship i.e. contribution to research (research publications, research grants and research supervision) + undergraduate & postgraduate teaching + administration in University and service to humanity.
The awarding body (the University) should have strict criteria that needs to be fulfilled by the candidate for appointment as Professor. These criteria should be vetted and approved by the University Council. I have been President and later Patron of a postgraduate college and can say that we did not have the provision or criteria for appointing Professors.
The scholarly work submitted by the candidate needs to be scrutinised by local/international peers. In many institutions a research degree of MD or PhD is mandatory. The report of two or three peers – usually one internal and two externals are reviewed by a promotion board which decides on the promotion. At times an interview is part of the process. Failure of such a strict criterion leads to people of mediocrity being appointed as Professors and will not promote good research by intellectuals that will benefit humanity. Others who are fit for such promotions would feel undervalued and may not perform well or leave the academic institutions as they have nothing to gain.
The postgraduate colleges, the Universities, the Sri Lanka Medical Council and the Health Department must get together and decide as to which bodies can award Professorships. If not, all the postgraduate colleges and even professional associations for sub-disciplines may proceed with appointments that would undervalue the respect and prestige associated with Professorship.
Professor Wilfred Perera
(Past President SLMA & SLCOG & Past Patron SLCOG) Via email
Searching for an ideal partner? Find your soul mate on Hitad.lk, Sri Lanka's favourite marriage proposals page. With Hitad.lk matrimonial advertisements you have access to thousands of ads from potential suitors who are looking for someone just like you.