Garbage Management: Schools disappointed with the approach
Garbage has been a huge issue for many months now, both on a domestic level and on school level. With many focusing on what’s on the streets, little attention is paid to what our little girls and boys are going through when it comes to the approach taken by schools to manage their garbage.
The Daily Mirror learnt from students from various leading Colombo schools that the garbage management within the schools is not going as smoothly as it is externally portrayed. Schools have informed their students to bring lunch boxes and to refrain from bringing plastic bags, lunch sheets, regifoam boxes, etc.
Some schools have removed the garbage bins from each classroom, not providing the children with a place to throw their daily trash. In one such school students turned to the dustbins in the toilets, which resulted in the closure of all but one bathroom as a punishment. Students have expressed their dissatisfaction with the fact that the schools expect them to put their garbage in their school bags as they are not allowed to bring polythene bags to even collect their trash.
Some students also stated that there was only one garbage bin allocated for each building, where you cannot throw paper or plastic. Students have also expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the teachers do not have to follow the same rules of not bringing plastic.
Parents too are very discontent with the way the schools are handling garbage management deeming it as “too sudden” and that such practices should be brought in slowly and not in such a rapid manner. Instead of teaching student on how and why they should manage their garbage, schools are trying to solve the problem by getting rid of the garbage created by the students as a whole.
It was also revealed that certain schools have not adopted any form of managing their garbage with the students and continue to allow children to bring plastic. Some schools even take to burning their paper instead of sending it for recycling.
However, on a brighter note, we also learnt that many schools have adopted the three bin concept inside and outside the classrooms and food served in the canteen is served in paper bags, paper plates or put right into the student’s lunch boxes.
Speaking to Tissa Hewavithana, Secretary of the State Ministry of Education, the Daily Mirror learnt that the Ministry had sent a circular last year towards the end of December, regarding on how to maintain school premises in order to prevent the spread of dengue. In the circular schools have been asked to reduce the use of plastic and to bring every child to have quality cooked food in lunch boxes.
The circular has also asked schools to manage their garbage and become familiar with separating the garbage in bins. Regarding the fact that certain schools had removed the bins from the classrooms as a whole, Mr. Hewavithana advised that maybe they could have three bins in the classrooms to encourage and teach the children on how to separate their daily trash.
He further said, “We need to give the children the necessary knowledge on the management of garbage, on the separation of degradable and non-degradable garbage and its importance which can be done by including this in the syllabus and our textbooks.
We have to be a part of this sustainable project where in a short period of time we get the children used to creating less garbage and managing it. What we aim to do is incorporate good habits in our children when it comes to maintaining a healthy environment and managing their garbage.”
Garbage has been a huge issue for many months now, both on a domestic level and on school level. With many focusing on what’s on the streets, little attention is paid to what our little girls and boys are going through when it comes to the approach taken by schools to manage their garbage.
The Daily Mirror learnt from students from various leading Colombo schools that the garbage management within the schools is not going as smoothly as it is externally portrayed. Schools have informed their students to bring lunch boxes and to refrain from bringing plastic bags, lunch sheets, regifoam boxes, etc.
Some schools have removed the garbage bins from each classroom, not providing the children with a place to throw their daily trash.
In one such school students turned to the dustbins in the toilets, which resulted in the closure of all but one bathroom as a punishment. Students have expressed their dissatisfaction with the fact that the schools expect them to put their garbage in their school bags as they are not allowed to bring polythene bags to even collect their trash.
Some students also stated that there was only one garbage bin allocated for each building, where you cannot throw paper or plastic. Students have also expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the teachers do not have to follow the same rules of not bringing plastic. Parents too are very discontent with the way the schools are handling garbage management deeming it as “too sudden” and that such practices should be brought in slowly and not in such a rapid manner.
Instead of teaching student on how and why they should manage their garbage, schools are trying to solve the problem by getting rid of the garbage created by the students as a whole.
It was also revealed that certain schools have not adopted any form of managing their garbage with the students and continue to allow children to bring plastic.
Some schools even take to burning their paper instead of sending it for recycling. However, on a brighter note, we also learnt that many schools have adopted the three bin concept inside and outside the classrooms and food served in the canteen is served in paper bags, paper plates or put right into the student’s lunch boxes.
Speaking to Tissa Hewavithana, Secretary of the State Ministry of Education, the Daily Mirror learnt that the Ministry had sent a circular last year towards the end of December, regarding on how to maintain school premises in order to prevent the spread of dengue. In the circular schools have been asked to reduce the use of plastic and to bring every child to have quality cooked food in lunch boxes.
The circular has also asked schools to manage their garbage and become familiar with separating the garbage in bins. Regarding the fact that certain schools had removed the bins from the classrooms as a whole, Mr. Hewavithana advised that maybe they could have three bins in the classrooms to encourage and teach the children on how to separate their daily trash.
He further said, “We need to give the children the necessary knowledge on the management of garbage, on the separation of degradable and non-degradable garbage and its importance which can be done by including this in the syllabus and our textbooks. We have to be a part of this sustainable project where in a short period of time we get the children used to creating less garbage and managing it.
What we aim to do is incorporate good habits in our children when it comes to maintaining a healthy environment and managing their garbage.”
Source – 07/07/2017, DailyMirror, see more at – http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Garbage-Management-Schools-disappointed-with-the-approach-132315.html
Newly introduced larva getting used to urban areas
A newly introduced larvae to control dengue has been released to the environment and they are getting used to the urban areas, Director of the Entomology and Parasitology Unit of the Medical Research Institute (MRI) Dr. Sagarika Samarasinghe told Daily Mirror yesterday.
She said, this larva called Toxorhynchites splendens was identified in 1911 in the world and used by different countries to control the spread of dengue with different success rates.
“The group headed by me started establishing the Toxorhynchites splendens colony in 2016. This is a tough research and therefore we can’t do it overnight. We have released these larvae to the environment several times without publicizing it, and this is the end result of the hard work and research conducted at the Medical Research Institute (MRI),” the doctor said.
Toxorhynchites splendens is about 19mm long and has a bluish-white metallic colour with a lifespan of 3 months. They mainly suck honey and plant juice. These larvae do not suck blood as their Proboscis has bent 90 degrees backwards. Therefore, no harm would be caused to humans. Their larva stage lasts for 5 weeks and this may exceed in cold climates.
These species are much bigger than the ordinary mosquitoes and are also called “elephant mosquito” or “mosquito eater”. It is crucial to mention that these larvae are not herbivorous but carnivorous. These mosquitoes lay their eggs while flying. Hence, they can lay their eggs in places where we cannot reach and can consume dengue larvae in the hidden places,” she said.
Dr. Samarasinghe categorically emphasized not to depend on this method alone as it will not be sufficient to wholly eliminate the dengue (Sheain Fernandopulle)
http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Newly-introduced-larva-getting-used-to-urban-areas-132281.html
SC halts garbage dumping in Muthurajawela
The Supreme Court today issued an injunction order prohibiting the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) from disposing garbage in Muthurajawela till July 20.
A petition filed by several residents in the area seeking a court order against the disposal of garbage at the Muthurajawela site was taken up before a judge bench comprising Chief Justice Priyasad Dep and Justice Upali Abeyratne.
The petition states that waste collected from Colombo is being disposed in Muthurajawela despite the area being named an Environmental Conservation Zone and that this has resulted in several environmental and health issues surfacing.
The attorney appearing on behalf of the Municipal Commissioner of the CMC informed the court that waste disposal at the site had been halted since last evening. He also pointed out that the site in question does not belong to the Environmental Conservation Zone.
The court inquired as to why a sustainable method of waste disposal in Colombo has not been established despite it being a longstanding issue.
In response to this, the attorney stated that efforts are underway to establish suitable and scientific processes for this and that certain waste management programmes had to be scrapped due to objections from the public.
Source – 05/07/2017, Ada Derana, See more at – http://www.adaderana.lk/news/41731/sc-halts-garbage-dumping-in-muthurajawela
Two nabbed over an illegal racket of sea cucumbers and shark fins
Naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command have taken into custody two suspects engaged in an illegal racket of sea cucumbers and shark fins.
The operation was launched by the Navy in collaboration with Vankalai Police. The arrest was made this morning on an intelligence tip-off to the Navy.
The racketeers were apprehended while they were attempting to smuggle these stocks concealed in 20 packages in a dinghy. Among the stocks were 553 kg of shark fins and 317 kg of sea cucumbers.
The apprehended suspects, sea cucumbers, shark fins and the dinghy were handed over to the Jaffna Customs Office for further investigations.
Source – 04/07/2017, ITN , See more at – https://www.itnnews.lk/local-news/two-nabbed-over-an-illegal-racket-of-sea-cucumbers-and-shark-fins/
Wildlife officials rescue a baby elephant
Wildlife officers rescue a baby elephant that had fallen into a hole in the forest area near the Katuwewa in Hambantota. Pix By – Rahul Samantha
Source- 05/07/2017, Times Online, SEE More at – http://www.sundaytimes.lk/article/1027095/wildlife-officials-rescue-a-baby-elephant
Timber Racket: one suspect arrested
A suspect has been taken into custody for illegally transporting a stock of Kumbuk timber. The arrest was made in the Uda Walawe area. The Police said that the timber was being transported from Wellawaya to Colombo.
The raid had been carried out a group of officers of the Uda Walawe Police who were engaged in night patrol.
Value of the stock of timber was reported to be over one million rupees.
The stock of timber was covered with jak fruits. The arrested suspect is a resident of Wellawaya.
Source – 03/07/2017, ITN News, See more at – https://www.itnnews.lk/local-news/timber-racket-one-suspect-arrested/
SLN produces ultra-purified water for dialysis
The UPW plant
An Ultra-Purified Water (UPW) plant produced by the Sri Lanka Navy’s (SLN) Research and Development (R&D) Unit was installed at the Dialysis and Kidney Transplant Unit of the Kandy Teaching Hospital on Friday, the SLN said. The facility can produce 10 tons of UPW per day, required for the dialysis process.
The SLN’s R&D Unit has produced this system utilizing their technological innovations and expertise. The market price of this UPW plant is estimated at Rs 13 million, while SLN’s R&D Unit had produced this unit at relatively low cost of only Rs 1.7 million. The purified water processed through this unit has been awarded the Association of Advanced Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) certification, and has received higher recognition from the Kidney specialists of the Kandy Teaching Hospital .
Empowering the national programme of Kidney Disease Prevention, the SLN is determined to install similar facilities at every hospital that possesses dialysis units. Up to now, the SLN has installed a total of 223 Reverse Osmosis plants throughout the country, and facilitates the civilian population with safe drinking water.
Source – 02/07/2017, Sunday Times, SEE more at – http://www.sundaytimes.lk/170702/news/sln-produces-ultra-purified-water-for-dialysis-248431.html
Wildlife officers to be deployed at Sooriyawewa Cricket Stadium to keep elephants away
The Wildlife Department will deploy teams of officers to prevent wild elephants from invading the Sooriyawewa Cricket Stadium when Sri Lanka hosts Zimbabwe for a series of one-day internationals at the Hambantota stadium.
Experts will be on hand for all three ODI games at the 35,000-capacity stadium, which is next to an elephant sanctuary, a wildlife official told AFP on Monday.
“There had been a few instances when elephants broke through the fence and invaded the pitch at night,” said the official, who asked not to be named.
“A jungle patch starts about 100 metres from the stadium and we are deploying 10 wardens to make sure that fans don’t stray into that area and provoke the elephants,” he told AFP by telephone from Hambantota.
He said there was a herd of about 25 elephants roaming the area, 240 kilometres (150 miles) south of Colombo, posing a potential threat to fans.
Source – 03/07/2017, see more at – http://www.sundaytimes.lk/article/1026970/wildlife-officers-to-be-deployed-at-sooriyawewa-cricket-stadium-to-keep-elephants-from-invading-stadium
Enhancing environment of Knuckles Conservation Forest
Biodiversity Sri Lanka together with HSBC and IUCN Sri Lanka have been working together on measures to conserve and improve the mini watershed area of the Puwakpitiya Oya in the Knuckles Conservation Forest and Environmental Protection Area.
This engagement has been ongoing since August 2015 and is a three- year intervention. As a responsible corporate entity and a patron member of Biodiversity Sri Lanka, HSBC’s sustainability drives underpin identifying and addressing environmental, social and ethical developments which present risks or opportunities for environment and business. Technical assistance to the project is provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Sri Lanka (IUCN).
The Knuckles Conservation Forest along with the Peak Wilderness Protected Area and the Horton Plains National Park have been declared as an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010.
Prior to this, it was declared as a conservation forest by the Forest Department in 2000 and an Environmental Protection Area under the National Environmental Act in 2007. The Knuckles area constitutes 30 percent of the watershed forest of the Mahaweli catchment – a major source of water for the agricultural sector of the country.
Although the forest landscapes in the Knuckles region are managed by the Forest Department and are legally protected, some landscapes are heavily degraded due to anthropogenic activities. Unsustainable land use practices and deterioration of watersheds severely threaten biodiversity and associated ecosystems. The main aim of the project is to restore the ecological value of the Puwakpitiya Oya sub-catchment area in order to enhance watershed functions and biodiversity in order to develop a replicable model to expand the programme to other sub-catchments of this vital forest range.
Puwakpitiya is a highly visited location by local tourists. Hence improving the visitor facilities of the Puwakpitiya (Illukumbura) office of the Forest Department is a part of this project. The HSBC funds have helped the construction of an information centre alongside the development of necessary knowledge products, which will benefit both the Forest Department and the visitors. This centre is expected to be declared open in August 2017.
Although adequate sanitary facilities are a basic need of any household, most of the toilets in the Puwakpitiya area are below standard hygienic levels. Regrettably, a majority of the people within the community do not recognize safe toilet facilities as a basic human need.
The project has improved and promoted the construction of adequate toilet facilities and raised awareness on the importance of sanitation.This is considered to be an eye opener to the villagers and it has been catalytic in getting the villagers to realize associated values. The project is expected to bring about a change at local level, which will have a lasting impact beyond the lifetime of the project.
Since the project area is located within the immediate catchment of the Moragahakanda reservoir, community members are being made aware of crucial conservation aspects through community discussions and meetings. Raising awareness among the community members could finally contribute positively to the conservation of the forest and its buffer zone together with the upper catchment of the Moragahakanda reservoir.
Recently a group of volunteers from HSBC made a field visit to observe and take part in work on ground. This volunteer programme included a visit to the Illukkubura Visitor Centre from June 16-18 where staff actively participated in landscaping and cleaning the centre. They also conducted a visitor awareness programme at Sera Ella.The team actively took part in field interventions and constructed contour barriers on the hilly edges to prevent soil erosion.
Upon completion, the project will have multiple environmental benefits. Firstly, the Knuckles region is well-known for its natural and aesthetic beauty centered on its breathtaking landscapes and associated fauna and flora.
Sustainable utilization of this valuable asset can be achieved through proper conservation and management practices.
Secondly, this region has been declared as one of Sri Lanka’s Natural World Heritage sites namely the Central Highland World Heritage Site because of its unique biodiversity, aesthetic value and ecosystem services. Hence, conservation and management practices will eventually lead to conserving this pristine and valuable ecosystem.
Enhancing watershed services, micro-climate regulation and carbon sequestration would provide both socioeconomic and environmental benefits. A monitoring system will be developed to ensure the sustainability and continuation of the positive outcomes of this project.
Source – – 03/07/2017, Daily News, see more at – http://www.dailynews.lk/2017/07/03/business/120676/enhancing-environment-knuckles-conservation-forest
Gem mine collapses in Niwithigala; kills one injures two
A miner had been killed and another two injured when a gem-mine collapsed at Madara in Niwithigala this morning, the Police said. They said an earth embankment of the mine collapsed on the workers, while they were mining. The injured were admitted to the Wathupitiwala Hospital and 34-year-old resident of Madara succumbed to his injuries.
Source – 02.07/2017, Dailymirror, see more at – http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Gem-mine-collapses-in-Niwithigala-kills-one-injures-two-132017.html
