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Opinion
What should be done on National Safety Day – 2015?
December 26 was declared National Safety Day (NSD), with the
commencement of the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and the recognition
of the National Disaster Act. No. 13 of 2005. Since then, December 26
was commemorated in memory of tsunami victims.
NSD 2015 will be commemorated soon . Political leaders and
responsible officers may have already organised functions to commemorate
the 2004 tsunami disaster victims. Others may recall the tsunami after
reading this article and may plan to offer dana and offer pahan pujas.
In the past decade, NSD commemorated the day with helicopters flying
to and from the southern parts of the island, processions of
intercoolers carrying politicians, security personnel and media groups
holding sophisticated video cameras. Religious places were filled with
devotees. Many hotels in the South were filled to capacity hosting the
media. Most of the auditoriums in the tsunami affected areas also may
have been filled with people listening to talks given by politicians and
religious dignitaries.
Most of these activities are a waste of funds which could have been
used for the welfare of the tsunami victims who are still living in a
pathetic state. Only those who believe in sharing their savings of good
behaviour with the dead may get a temporary satisfaction.
Revising what has been happening during the past decade after the
greatest tragedy in Sri Lanka, which killed more than 30,000 of our
people in one day, on December 26, 2004. It was disclosed in the media
that some tsunami victims were still living under pathetic conditions
even in December 2014, because the necessary steps have not been taken
by the government or responsible sources until last year. The Media
disclosed a number of times of billions being spent on events and
projects such as the construction of warning towers which were
malfunctioning.
Most religious leaders and the public organise traditional puja to
commemorate disaster victims on National Safety Day without thinking of
the waste of such activities, without taking into consideration the true
situation and the need of the victims.
In reality, NSD has been declared as a day for victims of all
disasters. One will realise that victims of other disasters have not
been taken into account. One of the many examples is the disaster caused
by the Meeriabedda earthslip in Badulla which occurred in October 2014.
According to information, 321 victims of the earthslip are still living
in temporary shelters even in October 2015.
Buddhists organise pahan pujas for any event. Such pujas are held to
commemorate NSD. Consider one such religious event, where a 100,000
pahans - coconut oil lamps are used.
One can compute the rough cost of this pahan puja, considering the
current cost of a bottle of coconut oil, Rs 200, the cost of pahanas,
thread and the travelling cost of several thousand devotees who attend
the pujas. It will definitely exceed Rs three million. This is for a
single one-lakh pahan puja. One can understand that no disaster victim
gains any merit from these high cost pahan pujas.
It is time to realise this, even if it is a bit too late and carry
out NSD 2015 activities in a practical manner which will benefit
victims. The relevant sources must understand the state of the tsunami
victims.
All steps must be taken to make their environment satisfactory -
mentally and physically. The available funds must not be misused but be
allocated for the well-being of the disaster victims and their families.
No tsunami victim or relatives of those who lost their lives in the
2004 tsunami expect expensive NSD commemorations but need effective
steps to make their lives safe and satisfactory.
K.R. Abhayasingha,
Visiting Lecturer, Post Graduate Institute of Science (PGIS),
University of Peradeniya.
(Retired Director of Meteorology)
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