Colombo - safer, cleaner, greener

by Shanika SRIYANANDA

Colombo was well-known for its mounting piles of garbage and chaotic traffic congestion. It was also a popular target for LTTE suicide bombers, to take revenge from the UPFA Government that strove towards its mission - eradication of LTTE terrorism.

An year ago, stepping into Colombo was a journey between life and death as the country’s commercial hub was always a prime target of LTTE suicide bombers.

Over the years hundreds of citizens have died tragically due to LTTE bombs that exploded in strategic places in Colombo. Before coming to Colombo, people used to pray to the gods, seeking a safe return home. Tourists cancelled their trips as they had to travel through the Colombo city, where deadly bombs were waiting to explode.

More than its plans to develop and make Colombo the ‘beauty’ of the country, the UPFA Government is praised by the people here and abroad for eradicating the LTTE threat and taking tough measures to keep Colombo free of bombs.

But the Government which was strongly confident of defeating the LTTE never neglected development despite putting all its efforts to crush the LTTE in the North and the East.

The fear-filled days of the Colombo people have slowly faded away and the district where the highest number of bomb explosions took place, its past glory, with improved roads, high rise buildings, now witnessing fly-overs and many more projects to restore Colombo as the main hub of the nation.

Being the gateway to the country, Colombo has seen development under projects well designed to make the city cleaner and greener.

Under the UPFA Government, development has not been limited to the walls of Colombo, but it has been expanded to reach main towns like Maharagama, Homagama, Avissawella and Padukka. “The Colombo District has developed fast during the last five years. The Government has not only considered developing roads, canals, public buildings, highways and flyovers, but social sector development has also been taken into consideration. Shanty- dwellers have been given improved infrastructure facilities with new electricity connections, pipe borne water and clean drainage systems under projects implemented for the Colombo district”, Director Planning of the Colombo District Secretariat A.H. Premadasa said.

He said Rs. 125 million was allocated for 1,200 projects under the Decentralised Budget to repair roads, provide electricity connections and housing. Each project gets an allocation between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 100,000.

Under the ‘Gama Neguma’ program over Rs. 557 million has been allocated to develop villages in the Colombo district.

According to Premadasa, one third of the project work involving the construction of roads, water systems, cleaning drains and anicuts in 13 Divisional Secretariats has been completed.

`Gama Neguma’ is a very viable program launched under `Mahinda Chinthana’ to strengthen rural development and alleviate poverty at village level. It has extended to over 4,000 villages. The other project that is in operation is `Nagamu Purawara’, which has over Rs. 60 million allocated for 350 projects to provide infrastructure facilities, road development and house repairs within the Colombo city limits.

Meanwhile, slum-dwellers in Colombo North and Central will be given more facilities under the `Nagamu Purawara’ programme.

The Panchikawatte Project aims to relocate 2040 shanty dwellers and settle them in over 30,000 apartments in a 26-acre land.

Another project that plans to develop Colombo suburbs will commence this year and would be completed in 2020. According to the zone plan, this will provide wider roads, a better traffic system and more greenery to add beauty to the city.

Urban Development Authority Director General, Architect Prasanna Silva said the Colombo suburbs Zone Plan commencing in 2010 will be completed by 2020 with wider roads, a better traffic system and more greenery. He said the Colombo City has to be developed along with its suburbs and not in isolation.

Some projects such as transport infrastructure, residential and commercial areas have been identified for development.

Under the Greater Colombo Township Development Project, 19 acres of land have been identified to develop public-private activities within the port, and another four-acre land identified near the Central Bank.

While development of the Colombo city and its suburbs in full swing, the Government, Provincial Council and the Colombo Municipal Council are more concerned about allocating public funds in a more systematic way to ease the garbage problem in the Colombo district. The common sight of huge piles of garbage along the roads of Colombo some years ago, is not so common now, thanks to the organised garbage collection and disposal.

The CMC has initiated the project `Garbage Free City by 2012’, following the directions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, aimed at reducing the garbage problem within the Colombo district and to have a proper garbage management system. Producing bio-gas is one solution introduced to reduce city garbage and the CMC commenced a pilot project recently to produce bio-gas from city garbage.

The project will generate 72 kwh of electricity per day, earning a monthly revenue of over Rs. 144,000 by way of generating electricity and organic fertiliser.

The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Patali Champika Ranawaka said the garbage problem in Colombo would be solved within the next three months as a 43-acre site in Muthurajawela has been released towards this.

This is a joint venture by the CMC, Provincial Garbage Management Project, UDA, and `Pilisaru’ project of the Ministry.

He said that over 600 tons of garbage is collected in Colombo daily and garbage dumping grounds in Colombo had exceeded their capacity. “Garbage would not be dumped at Kolonnawa anymore as the dumping grounds were earmarked for rehabilitation. Dumping at Kadirayana too would be stopped shortly. Dumping at Bloemendhal too had been stopped six months ago”, he said adding that the Colombo garbage disposal problem could be solved with the acquisition of the new site.

The Government also intends to maintain the greenery of Colombo while giving priority for development. The CMC maintains the ancient trees in the city as well as the Vihara Maha Devi Park in Town Hall. With highrise buildings and flyovers, the parks and gardens in Colombo have been retained with the purpose of giving the Colombo people a place to relax and inhale fresh air after their busy schedules in busy Colombo.