2016 Aug 4
By Ridmi Upeksha
Sri Lanka, a paradise island filled with many environmental beauties and wonders, a place you will not get enough of traveling around is a treasure that we all should adore and protect. With the development and industrialisation of the new global age, environmental pollution is an adverse result that increases every day, and has become impossible to keep pollution levels controlled. Despite of the obvious facts, we should do our best to contribute to saving the environment that surrounds us. But do we really? We mostly discuss about it on news, articles and actual attempt to save the environment is awfully low.
Sri Lanka like many other countries is effected by environmental pollution at a severe rate, and most of us are not doing much to help with the failed attempt in saving our environment. Sri Lanka being a true miracle of nature is failing every day because of human activities and urbanisation. Colombo itself currently has no clear beach and the polluted beach stretch runs until Mirissa which is passed Galle. To find clear water to dip in seems so hard these days and wherever you step in the shore is filled with broken coral, motor oil residue, plastic bottles, and polythene wrappers. Nature’s gifts are there to enjoy and to be preserved, not to be completely destroyed. Vacationers on holidays are only using the essence of our island’s nature gifts, leaving garbage on the shore or throw it in the sea without any consideration of the outcome of their action. Not only the vacationers, the increasing number of hotel chains all around the country is also not so much of a help. Their sole purpose is to earn every penny from the establishment they built and not giving much thought or attempt to save the natural attraction that their whole establishment is dependent on.
Nuwara Eliya, another true natural beauty of the whole county, a perfect combination of soothing greenery, waterfalls and reservatories, with the perfect weather is also seem to be going towards a rapid environmental hazard zone. Just before you reach Thalawakele, you will come across a big heap of garbage collected, filling the whole area with an odour that will ruin the whole beauty that surrounds you. As you pass your way to Nuwara Eliya, you’ll be able to see how people are cutting down trees and clearing jungles to expand their way towards up country. We are clearing jungles every day to accommodate the increasing number humans, ten years ahead from now we will regret the fact that we cleared all the green jungles and will compare what a wonder it was before. It may not feel like much the first time, the second or the tenth time you are clearing a jungle, but does it at least occur to you that how long does it take to a tree to be fully grown? Do we really think about this?
Water pollution in Sri Lanka seems to be another major issue that we all does not seem to comprehend as much. It has become a major concern to manage and sustain the water we have so that we can provide and circulate enough water amongst farmers. Environmental pollution caused by humans has brought upon various difficulties in the water resource management and agricultural sector largely. Agricultural being a major industry in the country and also being the country’s source of raw food has seen complications in keeping the industry consisted because of the developing local water pollution. Why does this happen? Because all of us are conveniently throw garbage in places as we please. Our actions are becoming the root to so many problems in the country, and in this case it will most likely effect thousands of farmers to be out of work.
The first major step that Sri Lanka can take is by imposing and introducing new recycling methods and rules. At the moment the country has shown extremely low number of recycling management options. To find a solution for the current water pollution situation is to establish rigid rules and have a proper governmental organization to take over the waste management and recycling of the country. Because the current recycling and waste management system is weak in the country people tend to pollute the environment with no concern at all. The steps in establishing a strong system of waste management whilst introducing new rules and penalties for those who does not follow the system properly can be a faster way to minimize the current issue at hand. Similarly for those who clear jungles, expanding of hotel chains without proper environmental perseverations plans can be thrown off by using new rules and penalties at the same time. The new rules and penalties will have to be extremely strict and unbiased. Nevertheless, saving the environmental treasures we have is something that should come within. Yes penalties would work to some extent but the urge to save environment is something we should develop ourselves for the future. Clear skies, clear water, and green jungles are the perfect settings to be living in to enjoy the little time that we have in our hands. Let’s save it for us today and preserve it for everyone for tomorrow. Save today for a better tomorrow!
