5th October 1997

From garbage stench to scenic stretch?

Last Saturday (September 27) sea front stretchresidents at Wellawatte were pleasantly surprised. Just a couple of hours after a rather grey day break, hundreds of people swarmed the beach, not, as one would assume, for a picnic outing, but to clean up what is possibly the worst polluted stretch of beach in the coast.

By evening the only signs of garbage was the large number of polythene bags lined up near the railtracks to be whisked away by CMC trucks. The beach was clean again thanks to the efforts of Underwater Safaris led by Arthur C. Clarke and concerned citizens including students and business establishments who make this an yearly event. But what happens now? Until the next clean up will garbage overpower the scenic stretch of beach once more?

Mayor, Karu Jayasuriya thinks otherwise. When contacted by The Sunday Times the Mayor revealed they had ambitious plans for the upkeep and improvement of the beach. He said the Municipality will team up with the Coast Conservation Department and the Urban Development Authority to uplift this stretch of beach from the garbage dump that it has become to a park land to be enjoyed by the entire family. When asked about earlier plans by the Ministry of Youth Affairs to create Beach Parks here in this very location, the Mayor said, "the beach is not just for lovers, it should be accessible for all."

Under this plan, the beach will be landscaped and new foliage added. Benches will be provided too.

Addressing the pertinent question of garbage that seems to accumulate endlessly on the beach, not helped by the Wellawatte canal outlet which also falls there carrying wastes from a section of the city, Mr. Jayasuriya said he is thinking of privatising garbage collection and involving all state and NGOs in the area for this cause.

When will all this happen? was our next question. "How long can you give us ?" quipped back the Mayor.He promised to have the beach in order by the end of this year.

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