News
Plans to turn Viharamaha Devi Park and other CMC lands into vegetable gardens
View(s):By Namini Wijedasa
Plots inside Viharamaha Devi Park as well as premises surrounding the Municipal Slaughterhouse will be among the 9.5 acres of land identified by the Colombo Municipal Council for its urban agriculture programme, officials said.
But agriculture experts also warn that the experiment, the first to be tried in the capital, could face considerable challenges including rats and other pestilence. Meanwhile, attempts to popularise home gardens have failed in the past owing to, among other things, lack of technical know-how and agricultural inputs (including agrochemicals) among the population.
Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake recently warned that Colombo city would run out of food by September and announced her Municipal Council would start cultivating crops. A total of 9.5 acres of Municipal-owned lands were identified for the project.
Additionally, 6,811 lots of bare lands (amounting to around 450 acres) in Colombo belonging to private owners have also been pinpointed, officials said, adding that at least 40 percent of these can be put to use. They range from 10-15 acres to up to one acre.
These owners will be given notice by the CMC to start growing. “Under the law, these lands can be taxed annually at 2 percent of their value annually although the council has not been claiming these fees,” an authoritative source said.
The CMC’s ambitious plan, spearheaded at a political level, is still at conception and discussion stage, the officials said. Soup kitchens and Rs 3,000 cash vouchers for low-income families are also anticipated.
The larger cultivations will be done as corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects and one leading company is already on board, officials said. Other private companies are being encouraged to join in.
Separately, talks are ongoing with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for support, including a training centre. A tripartite agreement between the FAO, CMC and Western Province Agriculture Department is anticipated.
The Agriculture Ministry has also pledged inputs like free plants and, where possible, free seeds (although these are now in short supply). In the first instant, CMC hopes to grow local yams and other plants. “The strategy is being devised,” the officials said.
The detailed design for Viharamaha Devi Park is also still in the works. The identified land is likely to be in the park’s centre and activities will be carried out with minimum hindrance to the public. Other CMC properties and even the edges of recreational grounds are also under consideration.
“One of our main objectives is also for people to realize how much efforts farmers put towards cultivation and to make conscious effort to cut down on wastage,” the officials maintained. “For this project, we hope to concentrate on compost application with minimum chemical use. In any case, we don’t have dollars to import chemicals.”
| Bare land owners told to grow foodThe owners of bare lands in the CMC limits will shortly receive letters from the Council telling them to start cultivation, authorities said. The notices will point out that, while the Council is authorised by law to collect up to two percent of each vacant lot’s capital value as tax each year, it has not been done since the ordinance was passed in the 1940s. Therefore, there was a responsibility upon owners to follow the CMC’s instructions. While many other Councils charge various percentages as tax on bare lands, CMC has never implemented the law “because the rates are very high”. Last year, the Council agreed to levy the tax and a finance paper was even submitted to its Finance Committee. However, this too was stopped. The Mayor has now proposed that the lands be used for the Council’s urban agriculture project but at the cost of the owners. | |
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!