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| Sunday, 6 July 2003 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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West coast beaches encroached by Anton Nonis
The beautiful beaches along the coastal areas from Moratuwa to Negombo have been polluted with encroachers putting up illegal constructions, despite actions taken often by the Coast Conservation Department (CCD) to make the beaches environmental-friendly, and free of unauthorised structures. The coastal region from Moratuwa to Negombo has been identified as the worst affected area with the infiltration of squatters and illegal constructions ranging from cabana huts to restaurants and various other buildings. The officials of the CCD have discovered recently that even the beaches of Unawatuna, Beruwala, Habaraduwa and Porutota which are considered as popular tourists destinations, are also gradually becoming the targets of squatters. A recent survey carried out by the Urban Development Authority has revealed that around five thousand squatters have put up their dwellings throughout the coastal belt from Moratuwa to Negombo and of late a new group of squatters are alleged to have constructed houses along the stretch of beach from Mount Lavinia to Ratmalana. It has been also found that the squatters were allowed by the local authorities to put up whatever construction in order to earn revenue for the local bodies of the areas along the coastal regions. In Moratuwa around 70 illegal structures have been constructed on revetments built for the protection of the beach from erosion. In Moragolla, Beruwala, a hotel owner was discovered to have encroached on to the beach and put up an illegal structure besides his hotel that completely blocked the path to the beach. In Unawatuna permission granted by the CCD to construct a small house has been misused to build a large hotel. Director, Coast Conservation Department Dr. R. A. D. B. Samaranayake who recently launched a campaign under the Coast Conservation Advisory Council to rid the beach of all illegal structures blamed the local bodies for encouraging the encroachment of squatters into the beach areas. He told the `Sunday Observer' that irresponsible local officials were party to various irregularities and they had not even bothered about the legal rights possessed by the CCD to safeguard the coastal areas. "The authorities who allow the people to dwell in the beaches should consult the CCD before they take any decision", Dr. Samaranayake said adding that issuing such permits were a gross violation of regulations. The CCD has also requested the Ceylon Electricity Board not to provide electricity connections to illegal structures. The CCD campaign to rid the beach of such structures has been thwarted by protests and intimidation. But CCD officials said they have succeeded in removing several squatters along the beaches of Bentota and Unawatuna. However to root out this menace completely, the officials added they needed greater support of the law enforcing officials and the corporation of the local bodies.
Any structure built illegally has to be demolished within two weeks of a CCD order of demolition.But any person unwilling to abide by the CCD orders can appeal to the secretary Ministry of Fisheries within three days of receiving the order and get it reversed as he is the ultimate authority of beach construction. This often leaves the CCD helpless. The Coast Conservation Act came into effect in 1983 in order to protect the country's coastal areas. But only a few are aware of this legal act and it is time to educate the intruders as well as the officials who deal with them on the conservation of coastal areas, Dr. Samaranayake adds. Efforts initiated by the CCD to demarcate the areas which come under its purview has failed as the dominance of squatters over the beaches were severe as expected. Sea erosion : Coral miners, worst culprits by Elmo Leonard Sea erosion will continue to take its toll of valuable property along hundreds of miles of Sri Lanka's western front unless there is a concerned effort by the authorities, and the offenders who are illicit coral miners, hoteliers, and the general public, to remedy the situation, Coast Conservation Department (CCD) officials said. Every year, when coastal erosion occurs, along the island's western coasts, there is a hue and cry by the people who have their houses devoured by the sea. Simultaneously, the politicians blame one another, ending with proclamations of assistance, the people who loose their land and homes, would receive. Sri Lanka is currently the recipient of $65 million, under Asian Development Bank (ADB) to stabilise her western coast on weak spots, along a 92-mile stretch from Lansigama near Wennappuwa to Hikkaduwa in the south. This scheme began in early 2002 and ends 2006. Millions of more dollars have been spent over decades to strengthen Sri Lanka's coasts, a common remedy being the placing of rock boulders along the coast. However, coral mining goes on unabated along the south-western coast and Hikkaduwa area which have lost the bulk of her valuable sea beaches. Even Sri Lanka's golden beach stretch around Beruwela, which had earned millions of dollars in foreign exchange, is threatened, which comes under the ADB coast conservation scheme. When the Coast Conservation Department raided coral kilns lying along the southern coasts, the kilns were moved 300 metres inland, where CCD has no jurisdiction. Inland coral mining is commonplace along Sri Lanka's south-western coast is a lucrative business and conforms to socio-economic upliftment, CCD officials said. However, most of the inland coral mines are not filled up after mining is completed. The results are swarms of mosquitoes making life unbearable for residents along the south-western coasts. "When dengue epidemics breaks out, there is pious talk of `doing something' but, nothing tangible is done to make the place inhabitable," a resident said. Tourist hoteliers must take much of the blame for sea erosion, CCD officials said. Their sewerage outlets open into the sea, too close to land, resulting in death of sea coral. The widening beds of resulting dead coral can be identified by green sludge formed on it. Over-mining of sand along all the rivers opening to the north-western and southern coasts has, and will continue to contribute to sea erosion, CDC officials said. |
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