Minister of Environment tells world forum Lanka has zero tolerance on marine pollution
Industrial and economic growth had negatively affected the environment surrounding Sri Lanka, Deputy Minister of Environment and Mahaweli Development Anuradha Jayaratne said addressing the Global Environment Forum 2016 in China recently. Jayaratne said possible pollution risks were very high with the further expansion of the industrial sector, especially on the marine environment.
He said coastal pollution was becoming a very hot issue in the country and globally. As a result, sea biodiversity was facing high risks and showing species extinction situation even at present level.
On the subject of ‘Embracing a new era with eco- civilization, he said some important new avenues that were being opened by his government to face global challenges of climate change resulting in natural disasters, Jayaratne said.
He said the government would take measures to prevent greenhouse gas emission and deforestation in the country.
“We launched Sri Lanka NEXT – A Blue Green Era, a land mark campaign to ensure the development of low carbon path ways for sustainable development by minimizing the impact of climate change on human life, eco systems, natural assets and the economy in January to mitigate the environment impacts of new industries,” Jayaratne said.
The Marine Environment Protection Authority of Sri Lanka was devoted to the ocean conservation as an island in the Indian Ocean and a substantial amount of the country’s income was generated from tourism due to its beautiful beaches and marine life, the Deputy Minister said.
Jayaratne said the relevant ministries had adopted strict policies to prevent over fishing in order to ensure the safety and longevity of marine life and regulations were in place to prevent fishing in breeding seasons at different locations. The government also had a zero tolerance on marine pollution and waste disposal at sea and a well-established policy framework to protect the marine life.
Source : http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=148876
Ban on agro-chemicals seen as jeopardising SL’s agricultural sector
“Sri Lanka will experience climate change issues in temperature, rainfall, evaporation and sea level rises in the future. The ban on agro -chemicals puts the entire country into a difficult scenario, immediate past president National Agribusiness Council Aruna Weerakoon said.
“This will affect a range of sectors, such as agricultural production, including export crops, in the future. Ban of agro- chemicals without a proper plan has resulted in a reduction of agricultural crop production, including commercial and export crops, Weerakoon told The Island Financial Review.”The entire agriculture sector will be impacted on account of changing weather patterns and climate. But with the increase in temperature, pest control becomes a major issue for farmers and the ban on pest control chemicals in the market adds insult to injury, Weerakoon said. “Water resources planning, development and management are essential for sustainable climate adaptation in Sri Lanka but due to a lack of knowledge on the part of farmers and a lack of funds/finance among them, the entire sector will likely be plunged into a major crisis, he said.
“Urgent action is needed to ensure Sri Lanka is better prepared to address future climate conditions, including anticipated extremes of flooding and drought, he added. Weerakoon said that when the temperature level goes up, pests become a real problem but, unfortunately, our farmers don’t have powerful chemicals to arrest the situation. Therefore, this would result in lower agricultural productivity in the country.
According to research presented at a recent conference, primary climate change effects on water resources include increased temperatures, changes in annual rainfall, changes in monsoon seasonality, increased variability and sea level rises.
Weerakoon explained that to feed the population, the commercial agriculture sector should be streamlined to withstand climate changes. “This could be done by introducing modern technology, like greenhouses, to the sector,” he said.
He said that surface and groundwater quality in coastal areas is also likely to be impacted, affecting important drinking water supplies including water to the agriculture sector.
This, in turn, will result in secondary effects, like increased transpiration, changes in river flows, groundwater recharge, snow and glacial melt.
GCF green light for Sri Lankan proposal
The Green Climate Fund (GCF), the main international funding body for climate action, has approved USD 38.1 million for Sri Lanka for its proposal titled ‘Strengthening the Resilience of Smallholder Famers in the Dry Zone to Climate Variability and Extreme Events through an Integrated Approach to Water Management’.
The proposal prepared by the Mahaweli Development and Environment Ministry with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was approved at the 13th Board Meeting of GCF in Korea recently.
The UNDP issuing a press release stated the project aims to achieve higher levels of food, livelihood and water security for communities in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka.
This is the first time that Sri Lanka has received funding from the GCF. UNDP Resident Representative of Sri Lanka Peter Batchelor said this is “the largest ever proposal to be approved”.
The seven-year project is to commence in December 2016 and is to be completed by the end of 2023. The project will benefit about 1.5 million people.
“GCF resources will be invested in improving the community irrigation water infrastructure and associated agricultural practices, scaling-up decentralized drinking water systems and strengthening Early Warning, forecasting and water management systems to enhance the livelihood and resilience of smallholder farmers, particularly women, from climate related impacts. The resources will allow assistance to be provided to 910,000 people in three river basins – Malwatu Oya, Yan Oya and Mi Oya – who are vulnerable to climate change. Moreover, around 712,000 people living in the same areas will indirectly benefit from the project,” the release stated.
Further to the grant from the GCF, the Sri Lankan government will leverage government co-financing amounting to USD 14 million for this project to address several financial, technical, and institutional barriers related to achieving integrated water management to improve agriculture-based livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the Dry Zone.
In addition to Sri Lanka’s proposal, the Board approved eight other proposals. Among these are proposals from El Salvador, Armenia, Gambia, Mali, Vietnam, Tajikistan/Uzbekistan, Tuvalu and Chile.
(Source :20/07/2016 Daily News http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=2016/07/20/local/87989)
A permanent solution to Man-Elephant conflict
Today the well publicised man vs. elephant conflict in certain parts of the country has reached dismal levels and needs immediate attention to address this despicable situation in a more pragmatic manner.
It appears that all concerned parties are desperately looking for an effective and permanent solution which has not yet seen the light of day. Poor innocent peasants are dying or are maimedin great numbers and are helplessly left to protect themselves while killer elephants are freely rampaging in human habitations causing irreparable damage and destruction to life and property. Hardly a day passes sans the news of elephant attacks in some part of the country.
Conversely on the other hand the numbers of elephants killed by the enraged villagers using illegal methods of various makes are also steadily increasing.
“The slider-bank system needs no procurement of any raw material and would last for over 100 years “
This situation has aggravated due to a number of factors. First is that the forest cover which is the wild native habitat of the pachyderm has been rapidly dwindling due to vast deforestation brought about by development projects, housing schemes and politically patronised encroachments.
Secondly due to the overwhelming upsurge in the elephant population based on the State-sponsored protection extended to this specific species. With this present scenario the conflict will go from bad to worse sooner than later with no effective solution in the foreseeable future to protect both man and elephant.
Electric fence – a failure
Electric fence has been proved to be a total failure, despite the exorbitant cost on installation and maintenance. The electric fence is often unoperative, breached or out of commission due to negligence or practical difficulties faced in essential regular maintenance. Adding to these inadequacies, the elephant being a shrewd animal, has improvised its own manoeuvres to circumvent or resist the deterring effects of the electric fence according to what we hear from the villagers. At this rate the future generations of our endemic elephant species will carry still more enduring resistance capability through gene transfer over to their subsequent line of descent to withstand even a more powerful electric shock. Hence we have to look for a more effective and long-lasting method to address this menacing issue. 
Slider-Bank System
At this instance, I would like to suggest a totally successful method to prevent these pachyderms crossing over to areas of human habitation. I would name this method as the ‘slider-bank system’. The slider-bank system needs no procurement of any raw material and would need only minimal maintenance
if at all. It would be a successful method and would last for over 100 years. All what it needs to be installed is some earth excavating machinery and their operators until it is put in place. The slider-bank system is based on the basis that these massive creatures cannot climb steep elevations by their very nature.
As the elephants are restricted to State-owned forest land there would be no need for the procurement of private land or property. The slider-bank is to be built in the following manner.
On the side of the forest land about 20 feet away from the demarcated boundary (that separates the forest land from the village area) the excavation should begin and proceed in a gradual declining angle of 20 degrees sliding towards the boundary line where the excavation will attain a depth of 8ft. (approx.) when it reaches the boundary. All the earth so excavated should be heaped on the opposite side of the boundary creating an earth embankment which would stand to an envisaged height of 10ft. Then with the depth of the 8ft. entrenchment the embankment would attain a total height of 18ft. (approx.) creating a steep and strong barrier which would make it impossible for these heavy creatures to climb and cross over. Once built, it needs no maintenance. Optionally, if necessary narrow pass-through gaps or arches may be provided at required locations for the villagers to cross over to the reserved area. Within a few months the embankment will consolidate and settle firm and tight. Grass and shrubs will quickly grow on it further reinforcing its strength. The villagers would gladly volunteer to maintain it if and when needed at all.
With this permanent barrier the villagers will be able to enjoy peaceful nights sans the fear of elephant attacks and the elephants will be safe from being met with cruel circumstances. In my estimation this project will cost much less than what it costs to install and continually mend and maintain the electric fence which has hitherto been seen as not standing to the ‘desired expectations’ due to various maintenance problems and other reasons. It is my hope that the authorities in power would consider this proposal favourably and may develop it further if necessary, and expedite it for the benefit of both the helpless villagers and the endangered pachyderms
Injured giant
Sri Lanka as a nation has an enormous debt to pay to the wild elephants for safeguarding the areas of the present northern province, north central province, eastern province as well as Puttalam district for seven centuries. During this time, the island’s sovereigns completely abandoned Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura and the entire Rajarata and shifted the seats of administration and capitals to the western, northwestern and central provinces: Kurunegala, Dambadeniya, Gampola, Kotte and Kandy.
King Parakramabahu the Great ruled for 33 years from 1153 AC to 1186 AC. Unfortunately, he died without issue and 13 sovereigns of whom ten were kings, two were queens and one was a three-month old infant ruled from 1189 to 1214 AC. of them, the only noteworthy sovereign, who was able to maintain the massive network of irrigation works constructed by King Parakramabahu the Great and also uphold the Buddhist traditions which climaxed under the king, was King Nissankamalla. However he could rule only for nine years from 1187 AC, as he died in 1196 AC. Eleven sovereigns followed thereafter in quick succession till 1214 AC, when a foreign despot known as Kalinga Magha wrested authority at Polonnaruwa. He and his depraved troops plundered and destroyed the entire Rajarata. By the end of 21, years of Kalinga Magha’s barbaric rule, there was massive depopulation and the Rajarata plunged into the depths of penury and the jungle crept back to hide all the traces of the former grand civilisation.
It was only the widespread and eternal presence of elephants that prevented travellers, especially from the Arabian peninsula and the Indian subcontinent, who were frequent arrivals to Sri Lanka, from making inroads into the interior inland areas to establish settlements. The wild elephants also safeguarded the Buddhist shrines and various other historical monuments from treasure-hunters and vandals. When the Somawathy Chaitya, where a sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha is enshrined, was discovered in 1947, its vicinity was full of wild elephants and it has been observed by many that wild elephants visit the Chaitya around midnight to pay respects.
During the British Colonial period, a foreign vandal, who was taking aim to shoot at one of the Buddhist statues at the famous Gal Viharaya at Polonnaruwa, was killed, before he could release the trigger, by an elephant. It emerged suddenly from the forest behind him. These indicate that the wild elephants have been a source of extraordinary protection to the Buddhist places of worship whether they were in ruins or not, since the 13th century.
Army of wild elephants
The profusion of elephants that captain Robert Knox, a captive of the island’s king of Kandy, had encountered during the week of his escapade by fleeing through the jungle along the Malvatu Oya from Anuradhapura to the maritime boundry of the Dutch near Arippu in 1679 gives an indication of the density of the elephant population in the jungles of these areas at that time. The extreme mortal fear created by wild elephants in these jungles was as great as the oppressive fear the people had of the barbaric capital punishments of the ruling autocratic monarchs further down south of the island. It was this army of wild elephants which kept all the unauthorised activities of jungle clearing, settlements, treasure hunting and vandalism at bay.
Reverend Phillipus Baldaeus, a Dutch priest, who was in Ceylon for nine years, published a book titled ‘A true and exact description of the great island of Ceylon’. It was translated from Dutch to English by a Ceylonese, Pieter Brohier, and published in 1960. Out of the nine years, he spent one year at Matara and the rest in Manner and Jaffna districts, where he conducted missionary activities. He refers to elephants abounded in these districts and records a personal encounter with an elephant while travelling between Manner and Jaffna and even condoles the death of the chief of the elephant catchers in the Manner region by an elephant. In his description of the 11 churches built in Jaffna during his tenure, he mentions that the surroundings of the church at Pulopalai was subject to depredations of wild elephants. An illustration of this, depicting a herd of elephants and the wild palm trees felled by them, is also presented in the book.
Pulopalai is in Jaffna close to Elephant Pass. Further in his map of Vanni and Jaffna, the presence of elephants is indicated as extending right up to the boundary of Jaffna lagoon from Kilinochchi.
British colonial era
During the British colonial period, when the forests in wet zone were cleared for planting coffee, tea and rubber, the killing of elephants by shooting occurred in a massive scale. Shooting of elephants also occurred in the dry zone and intermediate zone by irate farmers for the protection of the settlements and cultivations with whatever type of guns they could lay their hands on, licensed or unlicensed, serviceable or unserviceable, imported or locally, turned out. When reading through the accounts of the exploits of shooting of elephants by hunters, who called themselves ‘ sportsman’ the descriptions of dead elephants invariably mention of innumerable gunshot injuries all over the body and these hunters have been the ones who fired the final fatal shots with their modern rifles to kill the elephants. The farmers have at most times shot elephants while perched atop their watch huts, built well above the range of the extended trunks of elephants, on strong trees.
The accounts of the pastimes of these ‘sportsman’ end with the grim tales of butchery for the removal of the forelegs, ears, tails and teeth of elephants for souvenirs as well as umbrella and walking stick stands for the porches of their bungalows. Actually from the commencement of the British colonial era up to now, the elephants have had no respite from being at the receiving end of bullets and suffering, for with the clearing of lands for the Galoya, Udawalawe and the Mahaweli projects, the last of which is still continuing, new colonists, settled in the former elephant habitats, continue to main and kill elephants using more and more sinister ways in addition to shooting.
Dr R L Spittel, the celebrated author, anthropologist and environmentalist of Sri Lanka, sounded these forebodings very succinctly in the editorial of the June 1951 issue of the ‘Loris’, the magazine of the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka, when large extents of hitherto elephant habitats were getting cleared for the projects at Galoya and Udawalawe.
The wild elephants are our biggest national asset and deserve a better treatment than being confined to the sixteen national parks and sanctuaries to eke out a living and get shot or electrocuted or die of bomb blasts in the mouth or get run over and killed by vans and trucks or railways or even get their calves stolen from them the moment they step out of the national parks or sanctuaries.
Currently 35 elephant calves, which were harboured in private premises, whose owners did not have valid legal documents to retain the calves, have been sent to the two state run elephant orphanages at Pinnawela and Udawalawe by the relevant authorities. The public are still not aware as to how these calves were procured from the wilds. Because elephants have become sources of easy income today from elephant rides and safaris for tourists as well as hiring out of elephants for religious processions, surreptitious capturing of elephant calves by contract catchers is a very serious threat to the survival of the wild elephants. Incidentally one cannot avoid wondering how elephant kidnappings have happened in such a massive scale in this country which only a few years earlier gained a notable victory over one of the most powerful terrorist organisations of the world.
Tragic consequences
Of the five continents in the world, elephants are found in only the two continents of Africa and Asia. The African elephant is Loxodonta africana and its two subspecies are the ‘Savannah elephant’ (Loxodonta africana africana) and the ‘Forest elephant’ (Loxodonta africana zyclotis).
The Asian elephant is Elephes maximus and there are three subspecies known as the ‘Ceylon elephant’ (Elephes maximus maximus) ‘Sumatran elephant’ (Elephes maximus sumatriana) and the ‘Indian elephant’ (Elephen maximus indice). The ‘Ceylon Elephant’ is found only in Sri Lanka and in the biggest of the Asian elephants.
The Solution to the ‘Elephant – Human-Conflict’ resulting in tragic consequences for both elephants and humans is long overdue. One is inclined to think that the elephants were forgotten entities in the land clearing equations at the planning stage of the mega projects of the Galoya, Udawalawe and the Mahaweli and the solution were from ideas which cropped up later as the ‘elephant problems’ were getting out of hand. Is it not better for us, even at this large stage, to have a sound, far sighted elephant conservation policy which can also be integrated into an economic development policy of the dry zone, which comprises 58 percent of the island’s land mass?
(Source : 18/07/2016 Daily News http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=2016/07/18/features/87795)
Water resources planning key for sustainable climate adaptation in SA: experts
An international conference on climate change and water resources management has concluded that urgent action is needed to ensure South Asia is better prepared to address future climate conditions, including anticipated extremes of flooding and drought.
Part of the World Bank-led South Asia Water Initiative (SAWI), the conference saw participation from over 65 water resource and climate change experts, scientists and policy makers from seven South Asian countries- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – as well as China. Speaking at the opening session, Guest of Honour Dr. SarathAmunugama, Minister for Special Assignments in the Government of Sri Lanka said, “This seminar comes at a very important time, almost all countries represented here face crises of some sort as a consequences of climate change.“
According to research undertaken by IWMI scientists, many areas of Sri Lanka will experience future changes in temperature, rainfall, evaporation and sea level rise. This will affect a range of sectors, including agricultural production of important export crops. Surface and groundwater quality in coastal areas is also likely to be impacted affecting important drinking water supplies. Participants agreed that coordinated responses across all sectors can help to reduce the impacts of changing weather patterns on key sectors, urban centres and the country’s substantial natural heritage.
Three scientific papers presented at the conference highlighted the pressing need for action amid the uncertainty surrounding future water access and availability. Underscoring the need for solutions that can adapt to change and are therefore more responsive to uncertain decision-making environments, Professor Casey Brown from the University of Massachusetts Amherst presented the decision tree framework supported by the World Bank. This framework informs planning of water resources infrastructure using examples from hydropower planning in Nepal and water supply planning in Kenya.
Professor Aris Georgakakos from Georgia Water Resources Institute presented an integrated river basin planning approach used for the Rufiji basin in Tanzania under the World Bank Water Sector Support Project which emphasized smart approaches to develop “no regrets” solutions benefiting communities, agriculture and energy sectors, business and the natural environment,as well as integrating climate change implications.
Other notable experts included Professor Mohan Munasinghe, one of Sri Lanka’s most senior researchers on climate change and a member of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Highlighting the vulnerability of South Asia to climatic fluctuations, he stressed the importance of managing water resources in a manner consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals, suggesting the need for a Sustainable Water Resources Management approach, ‘SWARM’.
Climate change is likely to profoundly impact water supply and demand as well as increase extreme events, such as floods and droughts, underscoring the need for developing effective policy frameworks as well as practical adaptation responses. According to Dr. Rafik Hirji, the World Bank Team leader, “Governments in the region who haven’t yet mandated integrated water resources management (IWRM) are urged to step up efforts to formulate and implement those policies and those with policies in place need to elevate attention to their implementation. Effective planning, development and management of surface and groundwater will be key to ensuring that the resource is protected, conserved, secured and utilized optimally for the benefit of all South Asians.”
Experts voted on series of potential next steps including practical initiatives on public education and awareness raising, initiatives on flood early warning and on climate adaptation and groundwater, ways of addressing ‘non-water’ sectors effectively in tackling water governance challenges and building more substantial regional data and knowledge sharing and capacity building through establishing a community of practice.
The conference was followed by a field visit on July 14,organized by the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Management to areas north of Colombo recently affected by flooding along the Kelani River, and where flood response measures are being undertaken by the government.
Believers in Glass gives away glass bottles for water storage
The ‘Believers in Glass’ movement, tied up with Piramal Glass Ceylon PLC, is giving away free glass bottles for water storage in vehicles. This was conducted in selected IOC petrol stations recently. The campaign ‘Don’t drive and drink toxic water’ called out to people not to carry water or store water in plastic for long, as plastic in the bottles leach chemicals into the water thus poisoning it.
Piramal Glass Ceylon PLC MD Sanjay Tiwari explained further that as per various global research, mineral water, if stored in plastic bottles, has 27 percent higher Bromates than WHO standards (4 mg in 1 litre is the maximum limit) and also more Chlorites and Chlorates. Another research revealed the presence of harmful elements such as antimony, lead and cadmium in liquids stored in plastic.
When exposed to over 40 degrees Celsius of heat, plastic bottles can leach chemicals such as Bisphenol A (BPA) and Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) into your water, thus making it toxic, whereas glass provides a protective shield against such chemicals. These toxic chemicals may cause a negative effect on your immune system, hormonal imbalance, baldness, asthma in children, diabetes, hypertension, pancreatic malfunction, liver and kidney problems and even cancer.
New research shows that BPA negatively affects the chances of conceiving and results in a higher risk of miscarriages. Antimony leads to heart muscle damage, Cadmium causes respiratory tract infections and DEHP has already been banned in many countries.
All this data means that one should always store water in glass.
The Believers in Glass movement elaborated further on the benefits of using glass. Glass is made from natural raw materials, which are advantageous to our health since the glass has an outstanding barrier that fights and protects against outside influences. Glass is also nonporous and impermeable.
Glass has the capability to withstand extreme heat and cold, this enables glass to prevent any reaction with the contents it holds, while maintaining its freshness and durability. It also helps to maintain the aroma, flavour and freshness of food and does not negatively affect its contents in any way. It is perfect for the long-term preservation of food in its original state.
Besides personal health, there are also environmental reasons to use glass as against other forms of packaging.
Worldwide only one out of five plastic bottles gets recycled, while the rest are either burnt or land filled. Each of these plastic bottles takes about 700 years to decompose naturally.
Plastic bottles end up threatening our wildlife and harming the environment, thus making our world a less beautiful place. Glass on the other hand is 100 percent recyclable which in turn makes it environment-friendly.
A used glass bottle can always be recycled into a new one, because glass is 100 percent recyclable. Every ton of glass that is recycled saves more than a ton of the raw materials needed to create new glass. This proves that glass is very respectful of our environment, reducing landfills and saves energy.
The above launch is in continuation of the movement Believers in Glass, which was launched recently, to create awareness and educate the public to use the right form of packaging.
Piramal Glass Ceylon, as part of its corporate social responsibility, is involved in several activities. One of the major activities is that it collects waste glass from independent waste collectors around the entire island and recycling them. This helps to save energy and natural resources of the country, apart from generating an income for many individuals. Piramal Glass Ceylon has established glass collection centres at all major divisional secretariats, which enables households and corporates to dispose of the waste glass.
To support the above initiative Piramal Glass Ceylon has taken lead to form an association for waste recycling namely ‘Sri Lanka Recyclers’ Association’.
In continuation of its commitment to society and the environment, Piramal Glass Ceylon has supported the Believer in Glass movement and has started its journey of transformation, by not only educating but giving alternate solutions. This launch is just the beginning.
(Source 15/07/2016 Dailly Mirror http://epaper.dailymirror.lk/epaper/viewer.aspx)
Maha Oya Sand Mining To Affect Millions
(Sand mining at Maha Oya)
The coastal stretch from Negombo to Chilaw has been identified as the most eroded coastline in Sri Lanka by the Coastal Zone Management Plan in 2006, of which between 80 and 85 per cent of the degradation is attributed to exacerbated sand mining in the Maha Oya.
Erosion rate
According to EFL, at certain places such as Katuneriya and Lansiagama, the erosion rate is 12-15m/year. Due to the coastal erosion in Wennappuwa and Nattandiya DS divisions, over one thousand families lost their properties over a 20-year period giving rise to a number of adverse impacts including loss of homes and other properties, and loss of livelihoods. Some of these displaced communities have been living in temporarily built sheds for nearly three years since 2009.
Maha Oya is one of the largest rivers in Sri Lanka, which flows 128 kms across four provinces and five districts. It starts from Nawalapitiya, from the area of Aranayake and falls into the Indian Ocean from Kochchikade, North of Negombo.
More than 1.1 million of population live by the river, harnessing myriad of benefits from the river for their subsistence and livelihood activities. The Maha Oya provides water for domestic and industrial needs to different communities living by the river.
There are 14 National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) water intakes along the Maha Oya. Some of the important water users are Bandaranayake International Airport (BIA), Katunayake Export Processing Zone (KEPZ), Kegalle Urban Council, Negombo Municipal Council, Mawanella Pradeshiya Sabha and four other industrial parks.
Bird watching
The downstream of the river is famous among environmentalists, tourists and bird watchers, being one of the tourism hotspots of the country. Hence, continuous river flow and good health of the riverine environment is of vital importance in terms of socio-economic and environmental aspects. The river associated mineral extraction such as sand and clay mining is widespread in the midstream and downstream especially in Kurunegala, Puttalam and Gampaha districts, with river sand being one of the essential ingredients in the construction industry.
The Maha Oya has become a well-known source of high quality river sand. The annual sand requirement of the country is nearly 8.5 million cubes a year as recorded in 2010 with an increase of 5-10% per annum. Quite a significant quantity of Sri Lanka’s fine sand requirements has been supplied from Maha Oya since 1970’s, said EFL’s Chief Operations Officer Chamila Weerathunge.
With the free economic policies and subsequent boom in the construction industry, stresses on the Maha Oya as a source of sand has been gradually increasing over time. Since the late 1980s, the sand mining in the Maha Oya and clay mining in the hinterland have been exacerbating, giving rise to a number of environmental and socio-economic problems.
Most devastating
The most devastating impacts not only confine to the riverine environment, but also the coastal environment that has been subject to severe degradation. The Maha Oya transports sand to nourish the coastline from Negombo to Chilaw.
The Coast Conservation Department has spent millions of rupees to stabilize the coast against ongoing erosion.
The river itself is subject to severe degradation due to river sand and clay mining. The most devastating impacts include: River bank erosion and land degradation due to erosion and inland mining; Lowering of the water table causing problems in water accessibility; Salinity intrusion to the river and other fresh water systems due to lowered river bed and water table; Loss of biodiversity and associated impacts on tourism and recreational value of the river; Impacts on the livelihoods and subsistence of the communities. There are more than 1,000 traditional miners along the Maha Oya River, but the engagement of the powerful business groups in this industry causes threats to their livelihoods.
These business groups carry out illegal mining using heavy mechanical equipment such as long arm backhoes and motor boats which have been completely banned since 2004. Mechanized mining causes more damage to the riverine environment than traditional artisan mining. The extraction rate of the sand is far higher than that of artisan mining causing bank erosion and depletion of sand deposits.
Integrated approach
A project implemented by the Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL) in collaboration with the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) and Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) with funding of the Mangroves of the Future Initiative adopted an integrated approach in conservation of the riverine environment in order to increase the resilience of coastal and riverine communities.
Under this project, the maps developed on the distribution and area occupied by mined pits are: Figure 01: Eroded river bank of the Maha-Oya, 2011 shows the level of degradation of the Environmental Foundation (Guarantee) Limited, No. 146/ 34, Havelock Road, Colombo 5, Sri Lanka; Figure 02: A map of mined pits along the downstream of the Maha Oya; Figure 03: A river meander of the Maha Oya – Mukkama, May, 2016 land in the hinterland of the river. A significant number of land owners along the river lost their lands either partially or completely due to erosion of river banks. The change of land use and land degradation in the riverine environmental causes degradation of ecosystems impacting the provision of ecosystem goods and services to the communities who are dependent on them.
The fish diversity and the abundance were impacted adversely jeopardizing the livelihood of freshwater fishermen. Aggravating these conditions, untreated effluent discharge from several industries deteriorates the quality of the water in the Maha Oya preventing communities using water from the river. In Godigamuwa area only, more than 100 house owners were forced to abandon their domestic wells due to drying up or dig the existing wells further to access water.
Salinity intrusion
Salinity intrusion to the river has caused severe problems in treating this water at Bambukuliya Water Intake operated by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB). In 1984, the NWSDB constructed a salinity barrier to avoid salinity intrusion through the upstream water intake with the expenditure of SLR 200 million. The bridge at Badalgama is under threat of collapse due to the eroding river banks in the vicinity. In addition to that, the road driven from Thoppuwa to Madampella is subject to erosion in the areas closer to river.
These impacts stimulate the thinking that value of sand extracted from the Maha Oya has a higher cost of production than the benefits it garners to the construction industry. Different institutions including Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, Department of Irrigation and Central Environmental Authority are responsible in addressing these issues, but these problems have been persisting for decades up to date due to inadequate attention by these institutions.
It was suggested that these government stakeholders unite to develop and draft an implementable management plan to mitigate the impacts already taking place and prevent the detrimental impacts which would take place in the future. And subsequently in the year Environmental Foundation (Guarantee) Limited, No. 146/ 34, Havelock Road, Colombo 5, Sri Lanka 2015, the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau drafted the Management Plan for Maha Oya with the participation of wider stakeholders along the river. The ongoing Maha Oya River Management Plan is expected to regularize mining activities, restore degraded areas, monitor illegal mining and effluent discharges whilst harvesting river sand in a sustainable manner. However, with the visits carried out to the downstream of the river in May 2016, it is highly questionable that the Management Plan is taking the right direction in conserving the riverine ecosystems for the future generation.
Disclaimer: Information in this article has been directly obtained from the Department of Irrigation, Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Roads Development Authority, Coast Conservation Department, during the years of 2009-2011 for the implementation of the Mangroves for the future funded project on ‘Increasing the Resilience of Coastal and Riverine Communities to Climate Change and Other Threats by Conserving the Ecosystems of the Maha Oya and Other Wetlands’.
World Bank supports Sri Lanka water management to adapt to climate risks
The World Bank will help the Sri Lankan government to develop its water management institutions to adapt to the challenges posed by climate change, a senior official said.
The south Asian region is subject to extremes of floods and droughts which will worsen with climate change, said Rolande Pryce, Operations Advisor in the Colombo office of the World Bank Group.
These climate events will threaten water resources, agriculture and many coastal cities, she told a regional forum of scientists and policy makers from across South Asia in Colombo to discuss how water management can better respond to future climate adaptation needs. Risks are increasing sharply with climate change, Pryce said, noting how floods have ravaged the capital Colombo at least five times in the last 10 years.
“Climate change risks and water management are strongly linked in Sri Lanka,” Pryce said.
The 2017-20 World Bank country program identifies water resources development and management as continuing priorities for Sri Lanka in the light of increasing climate-related risks, she said.
The World Bank has several programs supporting Sri Lanka’s water sector including those for dam safety and water resources planning, urban flood control in Colombo and key secondary cities like Kandy, Galle and Jaffna, and water supply and sanitation. “In future, we will help the government to develop water management institutions to adapt to the challenges brought about by climate change risks,” Pryce said. Rising sea levels will also put more pressure on ground water resources, Pryce told the forum, organised by the International Water Management Institute and the World Bank, through the South Asia Water Initiative (SAWI) Technical Assistance as a follow-up to the global climate agreement in Paris in December 2015.
