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| Sunday, 3 March 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Bellanwila-Attidiya sanctuary Gone to the dogs... by VIMUKTHI FERNANDO
Eventhough it's listed as an internationally important wetland in Asia, no one seems to be responsible... It's a case of 'too many cooks' with the authorities passing the buck on to the other. Early this month, on February 2, we marked the 6th World Wetlands day with the theme 'Water, Life and Culture' and the 31st anniversary of adopting global consensus to identify and protect wetlands of international importance, in the city of Ramsar, Iran. Sri Lanka is a signatory to the RAMSAR Convention, with the declaration of the first Ramsar wetland site - Bundala Bird Sanctuary 1990. The second Ramsar site, Anaiwillundawa Tank Sanctuary was declared last year on August 3, 2001. However, the sad fact remains.... after 11 years of being party to a pact to protect all "areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres" respective authorities in Sri Lanka still immune to the destruction and turn a blind eye over this most important wetland located within the periphery of the commercial capital - the Bellanwila Attidiya sanctuary. Bellanwila-Attidiya is undoubtedly the most written about and talked about sanctuary, declared under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance on July 25, 1990. Yet, little had been achieved to better the conditions of this sanctuary in the past decade. The degradation increases day by day.
The sanctuary enfolds 372 acres of marshy land on either side of the Bolgoda canal with a heavily urbanised array of houses, factories, play grounds, schools and so on. In the process, the fauna, flora and the multifunctional eco-system is gorged by mountains of garbage and red-earth. It is a sad story, of unplanned urbanization and development according to Theresa, a 85 year old great-grand mother. "The time I came here as a young bride, about 65 years ago, this whole area was covered with wilderness. It continued upto the Beheth Kele (herb forest) at Katubedda, where the University is situated now", she reminiscenced. "We could get anything and everything from there. Food, fuel wood, medicine. Just look at it now. Is it pleasing to the eye? So many houses covering such a small area of land?" Well, her precious Kele is no more, it is devoured by development. "Isn't life better when you have comfortable houses, a road upto your doorstep instead of the jungles?", I ask her. "No, it never was any trouble. Don't you get the stench? It is a little better now, since the municipality stopped dumping the waste here, about 3-4 months back. But, now we have more and more mosquitoes. More diseases, more sickness." The irony in wetland conservation is that there is "no act to protect wetlands because of their value as wetlands" says Jagath Gunawardena, Attorney at Law and Environmentalist who spent long years and made much effort to conserve Bellanwila-Attidiya sanctuary. "At present the sanctuary is protected under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, taking into consideration its wildlife value", he said. The wildlife values comes 5th in its importance, according to the Society for Environmental Education (SEE) study. But its function as a natural sponge for rainwater in the locality is more importnt. According to the records of SEE and the Young Zoologists' Association (YZA) it is home to 168 species of birds five of which are listed in the Red Data Book of then World Conservation Union (IUCN) as endangered. Out of the 82 species of butterflies, 16 are listed as rare breeds out of which 9 are endemic. The 44 fish varieties include 06 endemic species. 30 species of reptiles and 16 species of mammals and 37 varieties of dragon-flies have also been recorded. But now, "there is a 40 to 60 percent reduction of birds in the sanctuary and the number of fish varieties had come down to 10", says Gunawardena.The main threat, "is industrial pollution" says Gunawardena, with high polluting industries discharging their effluent into the canal. This has resulted the total wipe out of the Large Prawn (Macrobrachyum rosenbergii) and Ahirawa from the Bellanwila-Attidiya marshes and the fishermen who thrived, abandoning their trade. Second, comes the illegal encroachment and filling. According to those who live within the boundaries, the number of houses around the marshes, which were less than 10 at the time of the declaration of the sanctuary, had multiplied tenfold, with the help of responsible and influential authorities and many a politician. A third threat, according to Dr. Channa Bambaradeniya of IUCN, is posed by the invasive species of plant and animals. Studies and observations by IUCN had shown that water hyacinth, wild annona, a carnivorous fish (chitala chitala), the tank cleaner and a carnivorous tortoise (red eared glider) are thriving in the Bellanwila-Attidiya sanctuary. "The threat to the indigenous varieties, and the damage is incalculable" he said. What could be done to arrest the destruction of this marsh? When the 'Sunday Observer' tried to find answers to the question we were sent from pillar to post. Involvement of the DWLC, CEA, Land Reclamation Department, Urban Development Authority and so on were revealed with a lot of lamenting and 'passing the buck'. "Political interference" was a key phrase and nobody was willing to talk.... Few had any respect or understanding of what others do! Bellanwila-Attidiya is a typical case of "too many cooks" spoiling the soup. Though many a proposal has been put forward from time to time, no proper action had been taken to conserve this marsh. The CEA's Wetland Conservation Project, which had good plans and controls on land reclamation, dumping of waste material and fishing, stopped short at Bellanwila-Attidiya with only a visiting centre / bird-watching tower to show for their efforts. The Department of Wild Life Conservation claims that their hands are tied with the many loopholes in the laws and the continuing private ownership of land within the sanctuary. Environmentalists call for acquisition of land and handing over the marshes to a proper authority. However, we need to "demarcate the essential segments, the core area and upgrade the status to a national reserve, which would strengthen the hands of DWLC" says Jagath Gunawardena. "Then, the CEA should quickly act upon and take action against the polluters and illegal filling up."Whoever the authorities responsible, all we can see at present is that urgent and immediate action needs to be taken to conserve Bellanwila-Attidiya marshes, for Sri Lanka is too small and sadly too poor a country to face the consequences. |
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It may be listed as one of the 42 internationally important wetlands in
Asia. But, it has little to show for it.
