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Letters to the Editor
12th April 1998 |
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What a dumping messGarbage disposal, an important issue in local government politics is much in the news nowadays. Dumps of garbage in the streets, open spaces and blocking waterways are common sights in all the cities and towns of the country. Collections by the local authorities are also disposed by dumping them in suburban and rural neighbourhoods exposing the underprivileged in these areas to further hazards. This is similar to what is happening globally - affluent Western nations getting rid of their wastes by exporting them to poorer countries. Some local bodies such as the Municipalities of Jaffna and Negombo deposit the garbage collections along the banks of lagoons for the purpose of land reclamation. Besides seriously polluting the environment this impedes the fishing activities of the villagers. Furthermore, sites so reclaimed are not habitable due to toxins leading into underground water and sinking. Recourse to suitable alternative waste management technologies has, therefore, become imperative. Incineration, though unavoidable for the disposal of certain industrial wastes cannot be recommended for domestic wastes as it releases harmful gases besides being expensive and wasteful. Composting is undoubtedly the best way to dispose domestic waste. It is not only environmentally friendly but also provides valuable plant food in the form of organic manure. In agriculture, the world trend is towards organic farming in view of the degeneration of the soil and the contamination of the underground water and agriculture products being caused by the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The important aspect of organic farming is based on nature's logic in which plant and animal wastes are re-cycled into the soil. The conventional bacterial bio-decomposition method of composting is time consuming. However, in areas where this method is practicable it could be adapted. Recently a new technology known as vermiculture has been developed and patented by one Bhawalkar of India using a species of deep burrowing earthworms selected from among 300 existing varieties. Being bi-sexual they multiply fast and a given quantity of worms is said to consume an equivalent weight of organic matter in just one day. Earthworms are excellent soil ameliorators. They aerate the soil, destroy harmful pathogens and other pests, regulate the pH and above all, they add valuable plant nutrients including hormones and anti-biotics. Bhawalkar who was a chemical engineer at the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai is now a Consultant and has taken vermiculture technologies to a number of countries. Vermiculture can be practised also on site in farmsteads, home gardens and even in potted plants by flat dwellers. It is hoped that the local authorities and others concerned will give due consideration for the adoption of the above waste management technology. It will serve the urgent need for an environmentally safe dispose of waste while providing organic manure for agriculture. P. Sabanathan,Nuwara Eliya.
All for immunity?Please cry of me Immunity On our roads without a care Accord entwined in discord and Immunity 50 years now and Independence we claim Ms. Irene de SilvaColombo 5
Use them for a worthy causeI was surprised to read in a Sunday newspaper a few weeks ago that two of our venerable Mahanayake Theras have been presented with luxury Benz cars each worth around Rs. 3.4 mn. This is not the first time such offerings have been made by politicians in the hope of returns by way of personal benefits. As a Buddhist, it is my view (please correct me if I am wrong) that a monk may accept alms offered by a layman but he should discern for himself what he should use and what he should not. It is the Lord Buddha's teaching that people should follow the middle path between the extremes of luxury and suffering. It is hard to understand then how a Buddhist monk can accept a Benz car for use without contravening the teachings of the Buddha. Surely it is an embarrassment to the Buddhists of our country. Wouldn't it lead non-Buddhists too to think that such acts are condoned in Buddhism? It is high time Buddhist monks, especially the senior members of the clergy, acted in a more responsible manner. At a time the Dalada Maligawa needs funds for restoration work being now carried out at the sacred precincts, the best thing the venerable Mahanayake Theras can do is to auction the vehicles and divert the proceeds to help in this worthy cause. K. JayatillekeColombo
What's the plight of innocent citizens?High Court judge faces police terror? If there is an element of truth in the above article that appeared in The Sunday Times of March 22, I wonder what action is being taken to deal with the culprits. Police terror, manipulations and their dealings with the underworld is a well known fact. What will be the plight of innocent citizens if a High Court judge has been treated in a most horrifyng manner? The President and the government are doing their level best to erase the memories of khaki terror of the bygone era, but still their remnants of the past brigades follow the old footpath. This type of action not only bring disrepute to the police force but also to the government. It is time the IGP and the gentlemen of the police force get-together to clean up their tarnished image. Meanwhile I hope the President, the IGP, the judiciary with the entire bar association take steps to punish the thugs involved in the above incident. Victim |
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More Letters to the Editor * The Billion worth query * Never ending widening * Don't use this toxic stuff * Water water everywhere Write a letter to the editor : editor@suntimes.is.lk
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