Poor city maintenance:

Drains off wealth

by Lalin Fernandopulle

The loss of man-hours and business opportunities due to floods are enormous and to-date city maintainers have failed to address the problem.

The recent submergence of Colombo city by torrential rains is a case in point of the poorly maintained roads and drainage systems.

The callous disregard for the maintenance of a proper road and drainage system resulted in mayhem in many parts of the country that were inundated by torrential rains.

Chairman, Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), Omar Kamil said for the past four years steps were taken to clean drains and gullies to prevent water entering the city.

He said flooding by intense rainfall cannot be prevented and added that even developed countries cannot manage similar situations. “The CMC has commenced reconstructing drains and the Bloemendhal road to minimise flooding in the city. The Hamilton Canal has to be reconstructed with adequate space for water to flow”, Kamil said.

Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC) sources said that steps have been taken to dredge and renovate canals in the city. Maintenance of canals and lakes are done by the SLLRDC.

Business Chambers expressed dissatisfaction over the negligence of road and drainage maintenance in the city that results in flooding by even a mild shower.

Former Chairman of SLLRDC and CEO/Secretary General Chamber of Construction Industry, Dakshitha Thalagodapitiya said frequent flooding in the greater Colombo area could be attributed to ad hoc filling of low-lying marshy and swampy areas which have contributed to the drastic reduction of retention capacities.

He said that to maintain a flood free environment we need proper surface drainage facilities providing adequate outflow capacities.

“The canal network has to be properly maintained and attention of authorities must be on maintaining proper outfalls”, Thalagodapitiya said.

In the south of Colombo the two canals that drain the waters are Wellawatta and Kirulapone.

Thalagodapitiya said canal reservations are often occupied by shanty dwellers and even prominent citizens are guilty of unauthorised constructions and obstructions to the natural flow of drainage.

“What is required today is to review the available flood outflow and retention capacities for a rainfall calculated over a 100-year return period. A total ban on ad hoc filling, proper maintenance of canals, demolition of unauthorised constructions and installation of pumping capacities”, he said.