Rathgama, Rajagiriya residents protest over mounting garbage
Residents of Donald Obeysekera Mawatha in Rajagiriya charge that garbage is being dumped in their area.
The residents claim that individuals who do not reside on Donald Obeysekera Mawatha are now dumping their garbage in the area.
Voice of the residents:
“Every day garbage is dumped here. After that a tractor comes here and they load the garbage. Mosquitoes are breeding here. People should be more considerate”.
“There is no point in talking about this. We must tell this to those who are dumping garbage. Nothing gets done just because we talk about it”.
“Nobody understands that it is the environment that is being polluted. This is a nuisance for those living in this neighborhood. Nothing gets done. There is no point talking about it”.
Meanwhile, residents of Monrovia Watte in Rathgama staged a protest claiming they were affected by the garbage recycling plant operating in the area.
The protest took place at the Ranapanadeniya junction along the Galle-Dodangoda road, today, April 03.
Southern Provincial Councillor Ariyawansa Shammu and former UNP member of the Hikkaduwa Pradeshiya Sabha Buddhi Vitharana arrived at the scene of the protest.
A heated argument took place thereafter.
The image used is for representational purposes only.
Source – 03/04/2017, news first, see more at – http://newsfirst.lk/english/2017/04/rathgama-rajagiriya-residents-protest-mounting-garbage/165130
Foreigners made locals
An audit of the ticket collections of the Udawalawe National Park on March 16, 17 and 18 has revealed a fraud running in to l akhs of rupees. The audit was carried out on a tip receved from the public. According to the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife this may be just the tip of a massive iceberg.
Following the discovery of the fraud in ticketing at the Udawalawe National Park, the government has commenced an investigation into the functioning of all wildlife sanctuaries in the country, Including ticket collections.
According to Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, W.S.K. Pathirathne, the fraud had taken place at the ticketing counter where tickets sold to foreigners had been noted in the books maintained as tickets sold to locals.
The rates of tickets for a foreigners is US $ 15 (Rs. 2250/-) and for a local is Rs. 60/- Meanwhile, Media Secretary – Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife, Pabasari Waleboda said that a separate committee had been appointed in this regard following an order by Minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife, Gamini Jayawickrama Perera.
Waleboda noted that the case had since been forwarded to the Criminal Investigation Department and other relevant intelligence units for further investigations.
“Although this fraud is discovered as having been committed over three days, we assume that the entire fraud may be more, in the range of over rupees one million. These are public funds that have been defrauded. This is a major issue and therefore other national parks are also being investigated,” she explained.
Source – 01/04/2017, nation, See more at -http://nation.lk/online/2017/04/01/foreigners-made-locals.html
