It is not with pride that I write this letter. Not the same pride I feel knowing that I live in a country where elephants were once the mode of transport for Kings of yore.
After a long walk around Kandy on a mid week Poya holiday in February, my mother, sister and I were excited to see elephants standing along the pathway to the Dalada Maligawa for passers by to touch,take photographs of or get rid of bad luck by circling under their belly.
As we got closer they turned out to be two tuskers, one mature and the other quite young, with their mahouts. First we approached the elderly tusker, whose mahout seemed to be his best friend-- an old man who dearly loved this animal. The elderly tusker was chained on all four legs but the mahout didn’t have a stick or ankus in his hand. He gave orders in a kind tone to the elephant to salute with his trunk and greet people, that were obeyed immediately. Later this gentle giant lifted the mahout. My sister, didn’t stop clicking her digital camera.
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Next we moved on to the little tusker who was excited at all the attention he was getting. He was in no way restless, just friendly, occasionally stretching out his trunk so that we could caress it. The tusker had two mahouts, one young and the other a middle aged unfriendly mahout with a stick in hand. My sister and I were the only ones petting the tusker till some young boys stopped to do the same on their way to the temple. Immediately, the older mahout started beating this innocent tusker mercilessly for no reason. We were shocked, so were the boys.
My sister couldn’t control her emotions and broke down seeing the poor tusker being treated thus. She was too upset to take any pictures of the mahout hitting the elephant. But I took one afterwards to show how dejected and unhappy the elephant looked.
I was angry and asked the mahout why he hit him. The mahout bluntly said with a smirk on his face that it was none of my business and that he beat the tusker for reaching in to our bags (which were mere backpacks!). When I tried to tell him this he just dismissed us telling us to get lost. The other younger mahout whispered us to leave before the little tusker got beaten again.
We complained to the older kinder mahout but he just admitted helplessly that this man was known to be cruel to the animal and he listened to noone. We had no choice but to leave.
Ever since we got back to Colombo we have been trying to find out who is responsible for the temple elephants or others involved with wildlife protection. But so far we have had no luck. Our only hope is someone reading this letter would step up to end the helpless tusker’s agony and put a stop to cruelty towards animals.
Animal lover,
Nugegoda
Where’s the water you should be
supplying us Rajagiriya residents?
World Water Day was observed on March 22, and we saw on MTV the commissioning of the premises of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, at Sri Nagavihara Road, Pagoda, Nugegoda. This was all done at huge cost, and with public money.
This is an open letter to the Minister of Water Supply and Drainage, and the area engineers of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, to ask why some of that public money has not been used to fix a serious water problem in the Rajagiriya-Nawala area.
Every single day, for the past four years, we residents of by-lanes between the Rajagiriya junction and the Nawala junction have suffered without a decent supply of water. This has been going on daily, seven days a week, these past four years. This is a ridiculous and totally unacceptable situation. Why can’t our engineers use their commonsense to solve this problem?
This is a tropical island country with abundant rainfall. We have so much water that the spill gates of our reservoirs have to be opened many times a year to release excess water. So much rain falls that the city of Colombo and its suburbs, including Nawala and Rajagiriya, get flooded in no time.
Why can’t the engineers “harvest” this water?
We need water to drink, cook, bathe, and wash clothes.
The Nawala- Rajagiriya residents have no water at peak times in the morning, and again from 2 pm to 7 pm. And when the water does come, there is not enough pressure to have a decent shower. We cannot invite guests home for a meal. We hate to think what conditions of cleanliness prevail at the eateries in the vicinity, with such little water to wash dishes, pans and plates. Will the authorities please get their act together and install big water tanks with pressure pumps and supply us with water. We pay rates and taxes to the Municipal Council, and we pay water bills with service charges included. Is this a breach of contract or a broken promise?
It is nonsense to expect every household to build their own sumps and/or overhead tanks and install private pressure pumps. Most homes do not have the space or the capacity to install private sumps, tanks and pressure pumps. This is the responsibility of the Water Board and the local council. Kindly install water tanks and harvest water during the rainy season for use during the dry season.
Please get your priorities right. We are not asking for swimming pools. We only want a decent daily supply of water to enjoy a decent normal existence. Please halt all high-rise buildings until you can provide a decent supply of water to all residents who have lived in this area for more than 30 years.
Countries that experience long periods of drought and harsh weather conditions manage better. There is always water on tap in those countries, and their citizens know to economise. If you cannot handle this problem yourself, seek help from overseas, or do us a favour and go home and allow someone more capable to take over.
Over to you, Minister for Water Supply and Drainage, and the Municipal Council of Kotte, and everyone who wants a better quality of daily life for the citizens of this country.
Frustrated and angry
citizens,
Rajagiriya
Noise pollution in the name of religion
The Kerawalapitiya Pansala, in sylvan surroundings on Shanthi Road, Kerawalapitiya, has been an abode of tranquillity for years. I moved into the neighbourhood two decades ago, and I have enjoyed the peace around me. The former incumbent of the temple was a quiet monk who carried out his duties unobtrusively.
However, with the passing away of the Venerable Monk a few months ago, every morning at 5 a.m., a bana CD is played loud on a public address system. The sound in the wee hours disturbs students studying and wakes up sleeping children, and causes my blood pressure to rise. Bana should not be broadcast with loudspeakers. Bana should be limited to the temple premises, for the benefit of Buddhist devotees.
I hope the new incumbent monk will reduce the volume of the bana preaching and restore the peace that once prevailed.
Agonized Residen
The National Hospital, second to none
Recently both my ears were blocked because of excessive phlegm and I went to the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinic at the Colombo National Hospital.
I could see from the way the staff treated the patients that they were well trained. Although there was a queue the patients were examined in no time. After the initial tests etc the patients were seen by the ENT surgeon and I was told to avoid milk and milk based food.
When I underwent cataract treatment about two years ago by a well-known specialist I observed that there were many patients but they were all attended to quickly. The National Hospital is not second to any other hospital. I would be failing in my duty if I did not thank the state health authorities for the service they render.
S.A. Masilamany,
Colombo 6
Highway cops and
their low ways
We have all seen those police posses waiting to nab motorists travelling on long open stretches of highway, such as the Kandy-Colombo Road or the Airport Road. The police stop any motorist they choose, and the drive has to show his licence and vehicle insurance to the officer at the checkpoint. Straightaway the licence is taken away and the “offender” is told he can be charged on several counts, each “offence” carrying a penalty of Rs. 5,000.
The “offender”, who is actually innocent, offers a bribe to avoid the hassle of visiting police stations and appearing in court.
If you are travelling from the airport, the police posse will want to check all your duty-free purchases, even though the goods have been cleared by the Customs. It is high time the Defence Secretary stepped in to stop this corrupt practice.
Senior Citizen,
Matale |
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