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Oh dear, oh
dear Unfortunately,
the huge numbers of mainly local tourists is also creating an environment
problem for local authorities. The problem
is nowhere more visible than in the Trincomalee district which has
on average 2,000 to 3,000 visitors every weekend. The already over-burdened
Urban Council in Trincomalee - a city of around 100,000 people -
is struggling to clean up the garbage that visitors leave behind.
The garbage
has also caused a serious threat to the deer population the city
is famous for. According to
a Wildlife Department official, during the past ten months at least
30 deer have died as a result of eating polythene in the Koneswaram
Kovil and its surrounding areas where most of the estimated 350-400
spotted deer population of the city live. "We have
found polythene in the stomachs of all the deer that have died in
the past few months. No amount of warnings have prevented people
from leaving polythene bags strewn around," the official said. The average
lifespan of the spotted deer is 10-12 years but the polythene threat
is leaving many of the younger ones vulnerable to early death. The Police,
the UC and wildlife authorities are making a combined effort to
educate people and make them realise that their carelessness is
threatening the life of these innocent animals. Boards have been
erected in areas where the deer roam, advising visitors against
littering. The UC also makes announcements on a public address system
daily asking visitors not to pollute the land as well as the beaches
as the area's marine life too could be affected by people dumping
waste everywhere. According to
the Trincomalee UC Secretary A.Sothilingam, the UC's 115 sanitary
labourers are stretched to the limit with having to collect the
garbage of the city's residents and now handle the additional burden
of cleaning up the beaches and other popular tourists spots in the
city. "We have
had to exceed our cadre for labourers which is 80 and hire more
people but this number is also not sufficient. We have only eight
garbage collecting trucks in running condition and this is inadequate,"
he said. The UC has
started a tree-planting programme in the city, opened public toilets
and placed barrels in strategic places for people to dump their
waste. But its efforts seem to be ineffective as large areas are
strewn with garbage. The council is also taking steps to convert
the garbage they collect into compost whenever possible. The problem
for the UC is also a shortage of funds and it has now sought assistance
from NGOs operating in the area. A similar situation
has also developed in the famous beaches of Pasekudah and Kalkudah
in the Batticaloa district where increased tourist arrivals have
led to sea life being affected. The influx
of tourists to these beaches has led to the destruction of the coral
reefs that line this area with shells and corals being sold openly
along the beach. It is alleged that dynamite is being used to break
up the coral reefs and a large number of dead fish can be seen washed
up on the shore. The irony is
that the war situation in these areas in the past 20 years may have
helped preserve the natural beauty. Now unless visitors become more
environmentally conscious and aware that as tourists they too have
responsibilities, future travellers may have little of the serendipity
left to enjoy. |
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
experience
what has long eluded them.
