Elephant-human conflict, the most crucial issue not even identified
Since 1950, a minimum of 4,200 elephants have perished in the wild as a direct result of the conflict between man and elephant in Sri Lanka. During the last 12 years, a total of 1,464 elephants were killed, along with 672 humans
The suffering of poor farmers due to invading elephants is being highlighted practically every-day in media and newspapers. According to media reports, elephants invade farmers’ cultivations, destroy crops and damage their homes.
Villagers demand that the Government should build electric fences to safeguard them from invading elephants. Meanwhile, environmental organisations complain of the numbers of elephants killed due to gunshot wounds as well as jaw-blasting explosives (hakkapatas) used by the farmers, and those fall into farmers’ unprotected wells and irrigation channels.
Reducing elephant population
Centuries ago, elephants were widely distributed from the sea level to the highest mountain ranges. Portuguese complained of elephants approaching their fortress in Colombo in the evenings. From early 19th century, British rulers sold the upcountry forest lands for commercial plantations of coffee, and afterwards tea.
Until 1830, elephants were so plentiful, the British declared the elephant as an agricultural pest and their destruction was encouraged. The British indulged in shooting elephants as a sport and an army major was supposed to have killed over 1,500 elephants. Between 1829 and 1855 alone, more than 6,000 elephants were captured or shot. The shooting of elephants drove the remnant herds to the lowlands. Currently, there are no elephants in the hill country, except for a small herd that migrates occasionally.
By the turn of the 20th century, elephants were still distributed over much of the island. The ‘Resident Sportsman’s Shooting Reserve,’ an area reserved for the sporting pleasure of British residents, is the current Ruhuna National Park. In the early 20th century, dry zone ancient reservoirs were reconstructed for irrigated agriculture, irrigation systems were rehabilitated and people were resettled. After independence, Gal Oya, Uda Walawa, Mahaveli and other development schemes resulted clearing many thousands of acres. As a result, elephant habitat in the dry zone has been severely fragmented.
During Lanka’s armed conflict, elephants were killed or crippled by land mines. Between 1990 and 1994, a total of 261 wild elephants died either as a result of gunshot injuries, or were killed by poachers and land mines. Between 1999 and 2006 nearly 100 wild elephants were killed every year. In 2006 a total of 160 elephants were killed.
The Sri Lankan elephant population is now largely restricted to lowlands in the dry zone, east and southeast. Elephants are present in wild life reserves and a small remnant population exists in the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary. Apart from Wilpattu and Ruhuna National Parks, all other protected regions are less than 1,000 km2 in extent. Many areas are less than 50km2, and not large enough to encompass the entire home ranges of elephants that use them.
In the Mahaweli Development Area, protected areas as Wasgomuwa, Flood Plains, Somawathiya and Trikonamadu national parks have been linked to give an overall area of 1,172km2 of contiguous habitat for elephants. However, elephants in this country seem to feel shy of using corridors designed by man. Resulting, about 65% of the country’s elephants range extends outside the protected areas into human settlements and agricultural areas. It is claimed that Sri Lanka has the highest density of elephants in Asia.
The “Sri Lankan elephant” (Elephas maximus) is one of three recognised subspecies of the Asian elephant, and native to Sri Lanka. Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the previous 60-75 years.
Domesticating elephants
Sri Lanka has a long history of domesticating elephants – back to the times when Sinhala Kings kept them for military purposes and to enhance the majesty of their reign. Today, domesticated elephants are engaged in following work:
- Logging – particularly in forested areas
- Construction – Historically elephants have played a big role in the construction of ancient historical cities.
- Tourism – elephants are engaged to give tourists rides. The elephant orphanage at Pinnawela operated by the National Zoological Gardens is a big tourist attraction.
- Ceremonies and temple work – Elephants participate in annual temple processions all over the country. Often they are richly caparisoned and are central to proceedings. Other elephants are permanently kept at temples and houses as a status symbol.
Feeding the elephants
An elephant consumes up to 150kg of plant matter per day. According to experts, local elephants feed on a total of 116 plant species, including 27 species of cultivated plants. More than half of the consumed plants are non-tree species as shrubs, herbs and climbers and 19% are grass. Young elephants tend to feed mostly on grass varieties. About 5 sq.km of land is needed to support an elephant in its forest habitat.
Human-elephant conflict
With the reduction of their habitats, elephant population have broken up and some herds have got pocketed in small patches of jungle. With their movement restricted, food and water sources depleted, elephants wander into new cultivated areas, which were their former habitat, in search of food and find a ready source of food and even stored paddy is not spared.
With their large size and equally large appetites, elephants can easily destroy the entire cultivation of a farmer in a single night. Therefore the farmers look upon the elephant as a dangerous pest and would rarely regret its disappearance from their area. Thus the conflict between man and elephant has become the most serious conservation problem facing the Department of Wildlife Conservation.
The ecological and social costs of clearing forests to resettle villagers have proved to be very high.
Since 1950, a minimum of 4,200 elephants have perished in the wild as a direct result of the conflict between man and elephant in Sri Lanka. During the last 12 years, a total of 1,464 elephants were killed, along with 672 humans.
Causes of conflict
The conflict between the two parties is due to the food shortage to the elephants caused by:
- Reducing forest area due to development works
- The rape of the forests
- Villagers encroaching into forests
- Grasslands being used by farmers’ cattle
- Low forest quality
Reduced forest area
During the past few centuries forest area was reduced due to cultivations, depriving elephants their natural habitats. The lands consist of mountainous and valleys or rolling lands with highlands and low valleys. Over the centuries, top soil from mountains and highlands got washed off due to rain and sediments were deposited in valleys. These fertile valleys support lush vegetation and provide most food to elephants.
During the development schemes, the lands below the irrigation canals were allocated to settlers, and mountains and highlands with poor soils were earmarked as animal sanctuaries. But none looked into the ability of the high lands to supply animal needs.
The rape of the forests
Along with the reduction of forest area, the quality of forests that produced food for the elephants and other animals reduced due to human action. With the increase in human population demand for timber increased, which were obtained from the forests. Today, timbers as satin and ebony with their 200-year maturity are almost extinct.
Most hardwoods take long years to mature; they also make low demand from the soil fertility and even water. The grain patterns of their wood, a result from the dry and wet spells the tree underwent over the long growing period. Today, most popular timber varieties have disappeared from forests. While our indigenous valuable trees have disappeared, spaces they occupied were replaced by fast growing and quick multiplying thorny invasive plants, mostly imported to the country as ornamental plants. Today, most of our forests constitute of shrubs, devoid of tall trees.
Village encroachment
During colonisation, landless families were settled in development schemes. After decades, with children grown up and raising families of their own, original lands are insufficient. They encroach into low fertile valleys depriving elephants from their food supply. While villagers encroach into forests, authorities under political pressure turn a blind eye. When elephants enter their traditional lands, villagers complain and demand electric fences to keep elephants at bay. Even the elephant corridors are not safe from encroachment.
Grasslands being used by farmers’ cattle
Grass are a major component of elephant’s food and is found mostly in lands undergoing periodical floods, also reservoir beds when water levels go down. Cattle farmers have found convenient to drive their cattle into traditional elephant grasslands, depriving elephants their food.
Low forest quality
With the forests being deprived of their tall trees for human needs, their slow growth give rise to gaps being filled with shrubs. The eating habits of elephants reduce foliage of consumable plants, meanwhile non-consumables, especially thorny shrubs continue to expand. Currently, most forests are being filled with thorny shrubs.
Wildlife conservation
During the last century, Sri Lanka has established probably the widest, wildlife conservation areas in Asia. Most located in the low country dry zone, where human pressure was not serious enough to prevent the recovery of elephant numbers. The recovery was slow at first, but under the management of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), the number of elephants seems to have picked up.
The DWC has identified several areas where the elephant-human conflict has become serious and has adopted following conservation measures to mitigate the conflicts:
- Elephant deterrence – the use of noise, flashes and shock tactics to chase elephants
- Establishment of new National Parks and increasing the size of conservation areas.
- Establishment of elephant corridors – to allow the safe passage of elephants from one habitat area to another.
- Habitat enrichment of elephant areas to enhance carry capacity
- Translocation of elephants to less populated areas
- Electrical fencing – forming solid barriers between farmland and elephant habitat
- Ex-site conservation and breeding programme
- Control poaching
- Synergising elephant conservation with economic development.
Today, conservation efforts are in full force to protect the species. Under Sri Lankan law, the penalty for killing an elephant is death.
Enforcing legislation
Although killing of an elephant could bring death penalty, never has been an occasion when a culprit was brought to court, although the entire village is aware of the gunmen and the users of ‘hakkapatas’. If the Grama Sevaka is questioned when the elephants are attacked or when forests are set on fire some control of elephant killing could be averted.
Invasive plants
While elephant numbers remained comparatively high, their food supply has decreased drastically, with the loss of their habitual grounds due to deforestation, irrigation schemes, human settlements and encroachment. Many reasons are brought out for elephant attacks on village settlement, but the most important reason is not even mentioned: the gradual reduction of availability of food (leaves) to elephants, due to widespread encroachment of mostly thorny, fast-spreading invasive plants into jungles, shrubs to low and even highlands of the country. This aspect has not been raised even by the Environmental organisations.
Amongst the invaders are giant mimosa (maha nidikumba) brought to the country on the backs of goats as food for IPKF senior staff, now are widespread all over the country. A few decades ago, Spiny bamboo (Katu una), ‘Bambusa bambos’ was planted in Minneriya Wild Reserve to provide long fibre material for the Valachanai Paper Factory. The factory never used the bamboo, but the plant has been spreading fast in the park. The bamboo does not serve any purpose and the thorns on the plant keep the elephants away.
Our entire country, jungles, shrubs, household gardens, marshes and even the Horton Plains has been inundated by invasive plants. Some of them are commonly known by Sinhala names giving the impression of being indigenous plants, for example Wel Atha “Annona glabra” originating from West Indies. From the low land opposite the Ministry of Environment to marsh adjoining Weras Ganga Park bordering Bellanwila temple are almost covered with Wel Atha and indigenous plants as Kadol have disappeared. Gandapana “Lantana camara” from W. Indies and Podisingho-maran or Eupatorium (Japan Lantana) are spread throughout the dry low country. In addition, Andara (Dichrostachys cinerea) and Giant eraminiya are widespread.
A common factor in all above are being thorny and are not consumed by any animal (except the fruit) and are fast-spreading. An indigenous plant Diyapara “Dillenia triquetra” (similar to Godapara, but shorter and grows in marshes) is fast spreading especially in the marshes and adjoining high grounds in the south and west is visible when travelling on the Southern Highway.
Settlement of conflict
The basic reason for the conflict is the shortage of food to elephants resulted from clearing of jungles, removing valuable jungle trees and plants, encroachment of low fertile valleys by villagers, taking over of natural grasslands by cattle farmers and poorly-planned elephant corridors. To prevent further complication of the problem and to avoid elephant attacks on village settlements, further encroachment of lands by farmers need to be completely stopped and the villages heavily subjected to elephant attacks need to be relocated, although the move even on encroached land would be heavily resisted by villagers and some politicians.
But the most important reason is the encroachment of thorny invasive shrubs, filling the voids created by felling of trees and clearing jungles. As these invasive shrubs are not consumed by animals, their growth continue unabated with their prolific multiplying character. These invasive plants are not confined to jungles, but have spread over the entire country. The complete destruction of these plants is an urgent necessity to safeguard our environment, agriculture and to provide food to elephants, wild animals and cattle. They are also a threat to indigenous plants, Kadol (Rhizophora mucronata) has been almost wiped out by Wel Atha. These invasive plants need to be removed and destroyed, in addition the gaps caused by the removal need to be replaced by indigenous trees, plants and grass varieties consumed by elephants.
The threat created by the invasive plants is the heaviest environmental damage the country had undergone, but was not recognised. Their eradication and the replacement with indigenous plants, would involve producing and planting millions of plants in wide variety, would be beyond the capacity of any private or Government agency. The only possibility is the mobilisation of the Government Armed Forces who would have to face a bigger enemy than the LTTE, and elimination of the enemy may take over 30 years, considering that left-over roots could reappear with the next rain. The task would be the responsibility of Minister for Environment who also happens to be the Commander of the Armed Forces.
Our President has been addressing the school children on environmental issues, now is the time to match the words with deeds. Over to you, Mr. President.
Sustainability now: The waste challenge
Shifting waste from one place to another is no solution; nor is burning it in the backyard. The moment waste is understood as resource, a multitude of solutions are already available to develop a waste free Sri Lanka
The common understanding of “waste” is equivalent with garbage and thus with “an unusable or unwanted substance or material”. Waste, in this case, is perceived with a negative underlying character and regarded as something no one would consider valuable; it is considered as a problem and an unwanted side-effect of our fast, wasteful consumerism and disturbing factor when disposed in public.
Essentially, each and every product is based on a number of resources which were extracted somewhere around the world and often assembled somewhere else and finally delivered into our shops. Where with many basic food products it is still easy to see what they contain and where they come from, it is nearly impossible to find out ingredients and production processes of more complex products such as for example electronic items or cosmetics.
After using an item for some time, we feel we do not need it anymore, therefore we dispose it into our bins which are emptied into garbage collection trucks which bring our waste into recycling centres in the best case or into landfills in the worst case; and through this process, items are becoming “waste”. However, even if the form of the product is changed, it still contains at least part of the original resources which have been used to produce it. It is still a sum of resources which are simply considered not useful anymore.
Besides garbage, “waste” also means “anything unused, unproductive or not properly utilised” and “failed to take advantage of or used for profit”. What if waste is a resource by itself? What if a complete circular economy is possible and even a feasible concept?
This is easy to understand in the case of systems which encourage repairing and reusing of items. Besides the benefit that the product is not disposed and can be used again, a number of professions arise around these activities and there is some money to be made – by those who offer repair services and by those who do not need to buy new products.
Repairing is not a new concept, however it is still limited to certain products such as electronics, cars, shoes, handbags and similar items. For a large amount of products there is no service centre, no place to bring it to. Also, often consumers need to pay more for repairing a broken item than buying a new one, thus they chose disposal instead of repair. A diverse system where any item can be repaired will not only create new jobs but also save money and reduce resource extraction as well as garbage.
Furthermore, reusing, donating and sharing are other possibility to make use of items instead of disposing them. In Sri Lanka we have a great culture of helping each other were many in the society who have more, give to those who have less. Concepts such as reusing, sharing and exchanging items can create another dimension where new consumption as well as waste creation are prevented.
In addition, making use of items which can be remodelled to new items, “upcycled”, is another area where materials which are considered not useful anymore, can be developed into completely new items. This thought is also nothing new. For years communities have reused or upcycled items simply because they could not afford to constantly buy new items.
Given the lack of choice of products, communities become innovative and use the older products in new ways. Only the oversupply of new, cheap products makes it easier for consumers to buy those instead of thinking of creative ways of reusing their old items. Recently this concept became more of a trend rather than an expression of lack of choice.
Finally, recycling of various materials has proven successful over the years supplying companies with the necessary raw materials and reducing land fill.
Acknowledging these efforts, a comprehensive circular economy approach tries to fulfil the paradigm of zero-waste creation integrating the above mentioned viewpoint that there is no such thing as “waste”. Every extracted resource which is used to develop a product, can be used and consumed, and when finally losing its initial purpose, it can be reused again in another context. By creating a circulation of resources, no material will go to waste, everything is considered a resource of something else.
Around Colombo and Gampaha region, enormous amounts of garbage have been collected over the past years. Dumping grounds such as the Meethotamulla dump site have been said to be unusable due to their height, odour and various environmental hazards. Current solutions are transferring waste into other landfills as for example in Puttalam – shifting the waste will only shift the problem but not solve it.
Sri Lanka has announced other initiatives which seem promising and more sustainable such as the campaign of the CMC on a new solid waste collection and recycling process educating the public to segregate waste, linked to a collection system and only disposing organic waste into landfill. Such activities are crucial if Sri Lanka wants to progress towards the SDGs.
Also, waste to energy projects have been receiving high priority. At present it is estimated that Colombo produces 700 tons of garbage per day. In this regard, the Sustainable Energy Authority in collaboration with the CMC have implemented the first pilot project at Jathikapola in Narahenpita. This project is deemed to generate 26,280 kWh of electricity per annum.
Additional bottom up initiatives intend to create communities and systems where sharing, exchanging and reusing of items are practiced. These activities not only facilitate a mind-set shift but also influence a change in consumer behaviour.
Solving the “waste challenge”
To solve the “waste challenge” in Sri Lanka, the first step which seems necessary is the mindset change towards a different understanding of what waste is and how it can be used as resource successfully. The stigma of waste being useless and a disturbance has to vanish to enable a sustainable circular economy system.
Globally business, research and political and civil society actors have taken on this concept and perceive it as the future solution for the world’s waste problem – to an extent where the UK Guardian newspaper recently announced that by including concepts such as renewable energy, energy efficiency and material efficiency, the “circular economy could bring a 70% cut in carbon emissions by 2030” and “caring for items through repair, maintenance, upgrading and remanufacturing is far more labour intensive than mining and manufacturing… the number of additional jobs would likely exceed 100,000”.
Entrepreneurs and researchers worldwide are now searching for innovative solutions which help creating this circular economy and lead to zero-waste societies. Besides initiatives to reduce consumption, resource extraction and packaging all together, there are different attempts of using waste as fertiliser and construction material, source to create energy and consumer goods (clothing, jewellery, house items, etc.). Sweden is on top of the list of countries which lead the race to zero-waste by setting up comprehensive waste management systems.
Without diminishing the challenge Sri Lanka has related to its garbage and waste situation, the country is still considerable small to be able to manage the situation well and in a sustainable manner. It has the potential to become zero-waste by developing a comprehensive system including reduced resource extraction (starting with a ban on single use plastic bags for example), upcycling and recycling systems and a movement of reusing and repairing of items.
Shifting waste from one place to another is no solution; nor is burning it in the backyard. The moment waste is understood as resource, a multitude of solutions are already available to develop a waste free Sri Lanka
Source 27/07/2016 Daily FT://www.ft.lk/article/557365/Sustainability-now–The-waste-challenge#sthash.OeeJEQMe.dpuf
Koskulana mini hydro-power project: A disaster for ecological diversity?
Sri Lanka is blessed with plenty of rainforests that had contributed to regulating its climatic conditions over the years. Yet during the recent past, people with influential backgrounds have resorted to utilizing these natural resources for their personal benefits. A series of mini-hydro projects and hotels which were suspended due to various environmental and humanitarian concerns are subject to commencement under the purview of the Ministry of Special Assignments.
One such project that had raised concerns over the environmental-expert fraternity is the Koskulana mini-hydro project which is being developed within a ‘buffer zone’ of the Sinharaja Forest – a rainforest in Sri Lanka which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to environmental experts a buffer zone is defined as an area of land which is designated for environmental protection. In an attempt to shed light on this issue, Dailymirror the spoke to a few concerned parties to inquire about the current progress of this project.
The DS has issued this land for temporary use : PILF
The Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF), a non-profit organisation established in 1999, which highlights environmental issues, has taken legal measures against this project and have filed a case in the Court of Appeal. Speaking Dailymirror to the , a representative of this organisation who wished to remain anonymous said that they were very much concerned about this issue after it was aired on television last November. “We filed a case under the complaint number 527/2015 and took up the matter in courts. We thought we should take a closer look at this project and when inquired we came to know that it was happening inside the buffer zone of the Sinharaja Forest violating certain laws and regulations. The project is being done at a border of an area which has been marked as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and I think this is a serious matter to be dealt with.
But this ongoing project doesn’t seem to be a temporary one at all. When the matter was taken up in courts a notice was issued to suspend the work. Therefore, by any chance if the developer resumes work, it would be contempt of court. We have also drafted a petition with seven parties appearing as respondents
One of the main problems concerning this matter is the fact that there has been no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) done addressing the pros and cons it would impose on the environment. The Central Environmental Authority has asked to stop issuing EIAs but to just submit an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) which doesn’t include the public opinion. For an issue like this, the public opinion is very crucial because it is the villagers who will be affected in the end. An IEE is negligible when it comes to a large scale process like this. We are trying to restore this by making a request in courts to introduce the system of drafting EIAs and clarifying the issues when it comes to environmental concerns rather than drafting IEEs and white-washing a major part of the issue which needs to be highlighted.”
We filed a case under the complaint number 527/2015 and took up the matter in courts
When inquired further, the PILF has also found that the Divisional Secretary of Kalawana has given this particular stretch of land to the developer through a permit to be used on a temporary basis. “But this ongoing project doesn’t seem to be a temporary one at all. When the matter was taken up in courts a notice was issued to suspend the work. Therefore, by any chance if the developer resumes work, it would be contempt of court. We have also drafted a petition with seven parties appearing as respondents.”
The villagers were bribed to support the project : Resident
The Sinharaja World heritage site is home to many endemic species including freshwater fishes. The Koskulana River which flows through the forest is a treasure to many villagers living within this area.
Remaining under strict condition of anonymity, an area resident said that as a result of the weir that has been built across the river, 5.8km of the river will be dried down. “This would disturb the life cycles of the fish living in small streams. This area is home to 300 odd villagers and they utilize water from this river for their daily consumption. When this water gets dried down, how will they survive? When the ecosystem is disturbed orchids and other such plants will be subject to extinction. When this particular Professor came to do a report on this area we were told that due to blasting of rocks there will be landslides experienced on areas where there are steep elevations. Another concern is the fact that this particular project is supposed to produce up to 750kW but the amount of water provided by the river is not sufficient enough to produce such a capacity.”
The resident also said that several politicians have been exerting their influences to continue this project. “Politicians such as Piyasena Gamage have been involved in this project from the beginning. According to my knowledge, the developer gets a profit of Rs. 1 million when generating 1 MW of electricity and the estimate for this project was close to Rs. 218 million. Several people supporting the project have bribed the villagers asking them to support the project. Now the villagers are having different opinions about it. Only a few couldn’t be bought to support this project and they know the true value of their environment.”
Yes, I decided to revoke suspensions on these projects : Sarath Amunugama
In his comments to the Dailymirror , Special Assignments Minister Sarath Amunugama said that he had walked every bit of this area while serving as a government agent in Galle. “It was I who gave land to these people so how can they say that this project will cause harm on the environment. Several of these projects were suspended due to abeyance of certain authorities including some NGOs and environmental rights activists.
They have been shouting ever since this project started and therefore we had to suspend work for some time. But as far as I’m concerned there will be no harm caused to the environment and therefore, I have decided to revoke suspensions on these projects and complete them soon.”
In his comments to the Dailymirror , Special Assignments Minister Sarath Amunugama said that he had walked every bit of this area while serving as a government agent in Galle. “It was I who gave land to these people so how can they say that this project will cause harm on the environment. Several of these projects were suspended due to abeyance of certain authorities including some NGOs and environmental rights activists.
They have been shouting ever since this project started and therefore we had to suspend work for some time. But as far as I’m concerned there will be no harm caused to the environment and therefore, I have decided to revoke suspensions on these projects and complete them soon.”
Can’t respond, matter is in courts : Kalawana Divisional Secretary
The Dailymirror spoke to the Kalawana Divisional Secretary, G.D.L Udayakumari to inquire about the allegations but she refused to reply since the matter is still in courts.
Mini-hydro plants are not a sustainable solution: Jayantha Wijesinghe
Speaking to the , Chief Co-ordinator of Rainforest Protectors of Sri Lanka, Jayantha Wijesinghe said that when a project of this nature is being done, certain legal procedures should be taken in to consideration. “The initial approval for the project was submitted back in 2008 but then the Forest Department rejected approval. However, by 2014 they were able to convince the Forest Department and they started the project. About 25-30% has been completed so far according to my knowledge but several other parties argue that almost 75% of the construction has been done. The Koskulana River is situated within the buffer zone of the Sinharaja Forest and therefore it is a highly protected area. The project is being done adjoining the boundary of this buffer zone. Buffer zone areas are quite important since they have high ecological diversity and therefore much attention needs to be given in terms of preserving the environment. Whoever is developing projects should consider the environment as their topmost priority. However, the major problem occurs when they start to build the weir across the river because thereafter it would slow down the flow of water. This will have a negative impact on species migration especially that of the fish population. This in turn will disturb the river flow and as a result the entire structure of the ecosystem will break down. At present a weir is built across the river and that itself is a violation of the law.”
“Another massive problem will be that around 500-600m of the river will be dried down. In reality nobody will be concerned to monitor the flow of water. They also have done sand-mining and have cleared about 2-3 acres. This hydro power plant is being constructed within 4 km of the Kudawa entrance. One has to reach this site through thick forest and on either side lies the Rajuwankanda forest annexed to Sinharaja. Here there are 10-15 small streams and a footpath used by villagers. But after this project has commenced work, there have been heavy vehicles moving along this footpath which has made it muddy so much so that now villagers cannot use it. In addition to that, the small streams have been disturbed and there too, the water has become muddy. Living in these small streams are little fishes endemic to Sri Lanka and once their ecosystems get damaged, their lifecycles will be disturbed.”
Political powerhouses are playing a game undercover and they do not know the consequences of such actions. Banks too are in the process of issuing loans at lower interest rates so that these people can carry out their shrewd plans
Speaking about the quotient that is contributed by mini-hydro plants, Mr. Wijesinghe said that when the main energy requirement is 2500-2900 MW per day, these mini-hydro plants generate only around 5% of it. “This amount is negligible. During the times of the drought, this percentage reduces to less than 1%. There are around 190 mini-hydro plants in Sri Lanka but altogether they contribute only about 2.5-2.8%. Therefore this is not a sustainable solution.
It has been estimated that the Koskulana plant would only generate a minimal 0.6 MW which in other words is 600 KW. If you take an iron at home, it has a capacity of 1KW so this means that the Koskulana mini-hydro plant can generate energy to power-up 600 irons only. Political powerhouses are playing a game undercover and they do not know the consequences of such actions. Banks too are in the process of issuing loans at lower interest rates so that these people can carry out their shrewd plans.”
Source : 27/07/2016 Dailly Mirror : http://www.dailymirror.lk/113170/Koskulana-mini-hydro-power-project-A-disaster-for-ecological-diversity-#sthash.CX5d5luE.dpuf
