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| Sunday, 9 February 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Southern blow-hole to be developed into tourist attraction by Elmo Leonard One of Sri Lanka's famous tourist attractions the blow-hole in Mawella, in the South, where wave action sends sea water soaring up to a height of 50 feet into the air, will soon be developed into a safe place, with added appeal to visitors. This famous blow-hole near Kudawella, 115 miles South of Colombo, attracts around 400,000 local and foreign visitors annually, according to the Ceylon Tourist Board. But the seafront location is no longer considered safe, following a number of recent accidents. Also, the accumulation of trees and garbage, including polythene bags, dumped into the sea has slowed down the upward thrust of the water. The Department of Coast Conservation, under the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources will undertake the development of the site, which will include a safe place for visitors, an accessible road, shops, restaurants and other attractions. The project estimated to cost Rs. 10 million, and will be funded by the Norwegian aid agency, NORAD and will come under the 'Hambantota Integrated Coastal Zone Management (HICZM) scheme' Project Director, H. V. C. Fernando said. The Hambantota district has the largest extent of seafront in the south, amounting to 93 miles, from Kudawella to Yala. According to a NORAD study, it also has the least disturbed coastal belt in the South of the island. However, according to Fernando over-fishing, dumping of garbage into the sea, over-exploitation of sand and coral mining along the sea coast had lead to sea erosion. Under another HICZM project, dumping of garbage into the seafront of the Hambantota town has been stalled. Solid garbage is deposited at a site two miles inland, from Hambantota town. |
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