Last week's sea erosion which seriously damaged the Southern coast railway track near Katukurunda may occur in other locations of the track from Colombo to Matara and the Coast Conservation is running short of funds to protect such vulnerable places, officials warned.
The Katukurunda to Kalutara rail-track which was affected due to sea erosion caused by heavy winds and rains due to the inter-monsoon season which caused much inconvenience to commuters was repaired on Thursday, but permanent repairs to the areas affected were postponed until the weather improved, according to officials of the Coast Conservation Department.
Train services were disrupted as the soil beneath the rail- track was washed away due to sea erosion, while a large number of coconut trees in the area were also uprooted. About thirty-six houses constructed for the fishing community in Kalamulla were also damaged, leaving a number of people homeless in these areas, according to reports.
Technical Assistant, A.K. Jayatilake of the Coast Conservation Department (CCD) who was on inspection of the site said it would cost colossal amounts of money to construct protective bunds along the coast, and the department did not have the required funds.
"It costs nearly Rs. 2 million for filling a stretch of 100 meters with boulders and metal stones", he said, and added that they were severely understaffed to take up every reported case.
However the CCD has identified, the most vulnerable beaches and fill up nearly 100 meters with boulders each year. Mr. Jayatilake said, "It is mainly due to the climate patterns and the angle of waves hitting the beaches which causes soil erosion. Therefore we will have to concentrate more during these days, as very heavy winds are expected to sweep away chunks of beach soil.
Marcus Anthony Fernando (57) and his wife Dissanayake Mudiyan-sealage Chandrawathi (47), said they were facing the danger of their house being damaged due to erosion and that they had placed bags filled with sand along the sea shore. Julian Anthony Fernando, a resident of Kalamulla said with the gradual erosion of land, most of the houses built close to the sea shore would be eroded and even the rail-track would be washed off completely.
Flacidus Silva (G.N.), of Kalamulla North, said he brought to the notice of the divisional secretary of Kalutara the imminent danger of sea erosion at Kalamulla but no action had been taken to implement a crash program. Coast Conservation Department Director, Nissanka Perera said it was not possible to repair the areas affected by sea erosion on a permanent basis at present due to the prevailing weather conditions but measures had been taken to protect the 50 meter area from Katukurunda to Payagala that had been affected over the past few days. "We have stock- piled materials at emergency points, and put mixed materials and boulders to protect these areas. Of the 50 meter stretch, it is mostly about 20 meters that is affected due to sea erosion", he said.
He said the Coast Conservation Department had been placing material on top, while a "Geo-Textile" sheet (a fabric containing various materials) had also been laid on the rail-track to protect these areas.
The Human Rights Task Force (HRTF) is seeking approval to set up a branch office in Jaffna amidst reports of rapes, killings and disappearances, an official said.
The HRTF usually got details of arrests and disappearances in Jaffna from the police but it took a long time to obtain classification.
In one case, a girl from Chundikuli Girls' College and her entire family of four were said to be missing for almost a month. The HRTF made inquiries on September 19 but received no response.
HRTF officers would also be able to visit places of detention and ascertain the condition of detainees, they said.
Meanwhile, six soldiers have been taken into custody by military police in Jaffna over the alleged molesting and killing of a young woman named Rajini Velauthapillai (23).
Her body was found in an unused toilet at Kondavil after she disappeared in October on her way to relatives at Anaikottai, according to police sources.
Following the complaint made by the girl's father to the Jaffna police, the military police conducted the inquiry and made the arrests on an order by the Jaffna Army Unit Chief Brigadier Janaka Perera.
In another incident, a girl student Kirushanthi Kumarasamy (18) of Chundikuli Girls' College reportedly disappeared after she was stopped at the Kaithady Army Check Point. Her mother, her brother and a neighbor who went to the army camp to look for her had also disappeared, according to a letter sent by the girl's sister Prashanthi to President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
All industries to be set up in future will be located at sites, to be known as industrial estates/parks or zones, which will have all the necessary infrastructure to dispose hazardous and other waste materials, Environmental Minister Srimani Athulathmudali said.
Ms.Athulathmudali told The Sunday Times this policy decision was taken to contain the perennial disasters caused to the environment, as many of the industries tend to locate themselves closer to densely populated areas.
"Even at a time when the country is geared towards enhancing the growth of industries, it should be noted that priority is given to establish a pollution free environment", she said.
"Residents in the vicinity of any industry are fed up with the amount of hindrance caused to them by means of pollution, and very often industrialists end up in courts. So it would only help such industrialists, when they are required to move into the specially allocated zones," Ms. Athulathmudali said.
Ms. Athulathmudali said several industrial estates were to be established shortly. "For a start Avissawella, Ja-ela and Ekala areas will be earmarked for such industrial estates and people who are interested in setting up industries would be required to purchase their plots of land from these areas," she said.
All such estates to be established will conform to standards of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and those who set up their factories would be exempted from the EIA process. The policy statement says that the government will encourage and provide assistance for relocation of industries as well.
Minister C.V.Gooneratne said it was due to the greed of the rich and the need of the poor that large chunks of natural resources were lost.
A Committee appointed to re-demarcate boundaries of Administrative areas has finalized plans despite protests from Tamil parties.
A. Ponnampalam, Chairman of the Committee appointed by the Ministry of Public Administration said a report would be handed over tomorrow on the re-demarcation of Grama Niladhari and Divisional Secretariat boundaries.
He said the boundaries of local bodies were being changed in view of public complaints that they had to travel long distances to attend to various matters. But Batticaloa's Mayor, J. Perinpanayagam said the Committee Chairman was talking nonsense. The Mayor vowed the Batticaloa Municipality would not allow even one inch of land to be taken away from its jurisdiction.
Mr. Perinpanayagam and other Tamil MPs, including the TULF, have protested against the re-demarcation of administrative areas, saying the plan must be stopped until a final decision is taken on the devolution package for regional autonomy.
Sri Lanka Telecom employees have voiced their concern over the imminent privatization of the company.
A spokesman for the Union told The Sunday Times it fears that fifty percent of the present staff would lose their jobs as a result of the take over.
He also said international parties who are vying for a 35% stake of the SLT have hinted that the SLT is over staffed in terms of internationally stipulated terms.
The spokesman said they were seeking written assurances of job security from the new owners, otherwise they would be compelled to take necessary action.
He said both proposals relating to the privatization did not spell out any job security, but only referred to compensation payable to those who would have to leave.
Meanwhile Telecom minister Mangala Samaraweera said he had given an assurance in parliament about job security for the SLT employees once they are absorbed into service with the foreign partners.
But the Union spokesman argued it was a question of whether all of the present employees would be absorbed into service when SLT was privatized.
The minister said he felt most of the SLT employees were in favor of privatization as they would get benefits. Only a small group was against it, he said.
Q: Is a conflict brewing between the Muslims and the Tamils in the North and East?
A: No. There was a conflict a few years back when Tamil militant groups started persecuting Muslims.
After the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord and the North and East was given on a platter to foreign agents the Tamils blithely turned their guns on Muslims. Muslims were killed, kidnapped, properties were destroyed, there was no law and order and hundreds of Muslims were massacred inside Kathankudi Mosque.
The LTTE repeated it in Eravur and places like Alangipultana and Paliyaknodange in Polonnaruwa district. On top of it all, most of the innocent Muslims from the North were driven away.
Right now there is no conflict. Earlier too there were interested parties who wanted to maintain tension between Muslims and Tamils.
After the P.A. government came to office we have taken every possible step to bring about a better understanding between the two communities.
Q: EPDP leader Douglas Devananda has charged that as Minister of Rehabilitation you are hitting the interests of the Tamil people. He says you an obstacle to the Tamils. What have you to say?
A: It is a figment of his imagination.
I have been shocked by his statements. It was brought to my notice and I telephoned and asked him as to why he made that statement and what was the basis for it. He denied it categorically and said he was misquoted.
Q: The Tamils are worried that as chairman of the North-East Coordinating Committee you will use it as a power base to extend your influence. Your views?
A: It is a baseless fear. We have not done anything against the Tamils. In my personal life as well as political life wherever possible I have tried my best to help the Tamils. Once the North and East Coordinating Committee starts functioning those who try to put this fear in the minds of the Tamils will be proved liars. How can one or two people speak on behalf of the Tamil people who are unable to freely express themselves for fear of being killed?
Q: Tamils say that a Muslim Council in the East will affect the interests of the Tamil people. Your comments?
A: If this reason has any validity it means that in all the other Provinces where others are in a majority, the minorities in those areas will suffer.
Q: The proposal is for the Council in the Ampara District to have non-contiguous linkage arrangements with Muslim majority areas including Trinco, Mannar, the Vanni and Digamadulla. It might easily become a Muslim power base. What have you to say?
A: It is the wrong way to approach the question. The issue is that there is a war. The approach to solve the problem is to share power with the Region or the Province. Once you do this each Region or Province will be able to decide for itself.
People at the peripheries will be in a position to decide for themselves. The more decision making in the periphery the lesser will be its dissatisfaction and frustration. Therefore it is necessary that in the process of solving the problem of the North and East we must ensure that we are not leaving room for any new problems in the future.
If we say by sharing power in the region we are converting the region into a power base, it applies to all regions. Are we going to say that because a region will be powerful that we shall not share power?
Are we also trying to say that areas where Tamils are predominant will also become a power base. If that is the attitude it only means that we are not willing to share power. It also means we want to prolong the war.
Q: There is political speculation that a Muslim Council may herald the recognition of self-determination for the Muslims. There is also the international scenario of militant Islam. Your comments?
A: In the first place one has to have a clear understanding of the structure of the political package that is before the Parliamentary Select Committee. It would ensure that the Head of State will have absolute control in the event of any fear or threat to national unity and national integrity.
Further the areas the SLMC has proposed for a separate region will not have a 100 per cent Muslim majority. It is wrong to say that the SLMC is asking for a Muslim Council. The Council area that we are asking for will have only a 58 per cent Muslim majority, while 42 percent of the people will be Tamils and Sinhalese.
In the actual working of democracy the 58 percent of Muslims will not stand under one flag.
Further, I must say to bring up suggestions of Muslim militancy in the region is wrong.
Continue to the News/Comment page 3 - * The cyanide mystery and the Govt. Analyst's Dept., * "We are well equipped"
Please send your comments and suggestions on this web site to
info@suntimes.is.lk or to
webmaster@infolabs.is.lk