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| Sunday, 5 September 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Colombo unsafe to breathe The Air Emission Standards came into effect from January 1 this year but the regulations remain inactive for want of single ministerial signature . As a result people are compelled to inhale dozens of toxic chemicals emitted by belching vehicles. School children in colombo are the worst affected, with at least two children in each classroom suffering from breathing related ailments ranging from frequent bouts of colds to asthma attacks. by Shanika Sriyananda
The implementation of Air Emission Regulations aimed at sidelining belching vehicles from city roads, postponed for various reasons, is likely to be further delayed, leaving more and more people vulnerable to cancer, heart ailments and various respiratory diseases. The implementation of Air Emission Standards (AESs), came into effect from January 1, this year. But eight months on the regulations remain inactive as no Vehicle Testing Centres (VTCs) have been set up to test unroadworthy vehicles. Setting up of VTCs were scheduled to commence before the end of July this year. According to reliable sources, though the ground work has been completed to establish VTCs, they are yet to receive Cabinet approval with the necessary Cabinet paper 'gathering dust' in the Ministry of Transport for want of the Minister's signature. However, a joint Cabinet paper has now been drafted and has been sent to both Ministries - the Transport and Environment. "It is sad to note the short sighted decisions of politicians who refuse to sign one of the most important Cabinet papers, aimed at helping rid the country's air free of hazardous chemicals - Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (NO), Particulate Matter (PM), Sulphur Oxides (SO), Carbon Dioxide and Hydrocarbons (HC)", pointed out environmentalists, who are critical of the Minister's decision 'not to sign' the Cabinet paper because he 'does not want to place an additional burden to the people' by setting up VTCs. They wonder, how the Minister had missed the studies, revealing the state of the country's air, its impact on the health of the people and the urgent need to implement AESs and save the country from becoming unsafe to breathe. The Minister's decision has compelled the people to inhale dozens of hazardous chemicals emitted by belching vehicles during the past several months, they said. Reports reveal that an average person breathes15kg of air each day which is six times as much food and drinks he consumes per day. Several studies by health experts and the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) reveal that the country's air is getting polluted daily and vehicular emissions account for over 50 per cent of toxics in the air. It is reported that one to two children in every classroom in most schools have breathing problems. Identified as the most polluted area in the country, Colombo with a population of nearly one million including 200,000 school children has complaints of recurrent bouts of coughs, colds, asthma attacks, chest pain and experiences of breathing difficulties. According to studies Sulphur concentration in Colombo is higher than the recommended levels of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Air quality monitoring data carried out by the CEA for ambient air quality reveals that Colombo air is highly polluted compared to other urban areas. These data also show a gradual increase in air pollution in urban areas. The main pollutants are emissions from belching vehicles mainly due to lack of proper engine maintenance. Two stroke engines, which emit high amounts of hydrocarbons, are the major source of air pollution. The study also reveals that concentration of Particulate Matter (PM) which is less than 10 micro meters, is high in Colombo and urban areas due to the high emission rate from diesel vehicles. The black smoke emitted from unroadworthy vehicles contain carcinogenic chemicals - mostly PM which is less than 2.5 micro meter diameter that can easily enter into the blood stream. The high concentration of PM in Colombo has resulted in a 30 to 35 per cent increase in asthma, cough and bronchitis, and has also increased the mortality rates. Scientists found that when these fine particles are inhaled deep into the breathing passages and lungs, they cause a variety of heart and pulmonary diseases. However, childhood asthma is on the rise around the world as well as in Sri Lanka. According to health experts school children in Colombo are more vulnerable, because they breathe more air per kilogram of their bodyweight, than adults. Research carried out by Prof. Manori Senanayake of the University of Colombo has shown that there is a link between wheezing in children and Sulphur dioxide and Oxides of Nitrogen in the air we breathe. "The figures at the Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital (LHRC) has shown that the number of children seeking treatment for wheezing is high on the most polluted days and low on the least polluted days in a given week. Within a period of one-year over 30,000 children seeking treatment at the OPD of the LHRC were nebulised for wheezing", she added. Further research by Prof. Senanayake on the lead levels in the blood streams of children, has shownt lead levels to have decreased after the introduction of unleaded petrol. " Lead levels in children is particulary toxic to the developing brain", said Prof. Senanayake who studied the cognitive abilities of children living near traffic congested roads and studying in schools in such areas in Colombo. The Air Emission, Fuel and Vehicle Importation Standards were implemented under the National Environmental Act, No.47 of 1980. The CEA, which commenced monitoring ambient air in the Colombo City from 1996, set the national ambient air quality standard in 1994 for pollutants- Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxides, Particulate Matter, Sulphur Dioxide and Hydrocarbons. The National Policy on Air Pollution focuses mainly on Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance; Fuel Reformulation, Pricing and Fleet Mix; Emission Inventory, Monitoring and Reduction; Standard Setting; Institutional Framework and Regulatory Compliance; Economic Instruments; Transport Planning and Traffic Management and Public Awareness. The VTCs are vital components in implementing the Air Emission Standards, which is in existence from January 1 this year. Under the first phase, testing centres are to be set up in the Western province, which is the most polluted province in the country. Over 200 centres are to be set up islandwide to check hazardous substances emited by belching vehicles. Two local companies with foreign collaborations have come forward to establish VTCs. The estimated cost for each centre is over Rs. 2 million and the company has to purchase equipment - a gas analyser and a smoke metre worth Rs. 4 million. Apart from the capital investment they also need to recruit skilled personnel to carry out testing. The AES specifies that there should be a VTC every 30 kilo metres checking 1.5 million vehicles. It also makes Emission Certificates mandatory to obtain the annual revenue licenses and specifies that no vehicle emitting harmful chemicals would be permitted to run on the roads. This certificate would be issued for vehicles that comply with the standards gazetted by the Ministry under Gazette Extraordinary 1137/35 of June 23, 2000. The Air Resource Monitoring Centre, monitoring the functioning of the VTCs, is to be represent the officials from the Police, Motor Traffic Department and Central Environment Authority. Although, no green light has been given to set up VTCs, the Air Resource Management Centre (AirMAC) is getting ready for the 'D Day' by training technicians and law enforcement authorities on vehicle testing with the assistance of the United States Asian Environmental Partnership (USAEP). AirMAC held a series of workshops and awareness programs for Policy makers and Administrators on vehicle emission testing last week. Over 4000 people including technical officers, police, motor traffic officials and CEA officials have been trained by Rocky Carlisle Consultant, Colorado University, USA under this program. ***** What the Minister has to say When contacted Environment and Natural Resources Minister A.H.M. Fowzie, said that the Cabinet paper has been already drafted and it will be submitted to Cabinet very soon. " It will be submitted as a joint Cabinet paper with the Ministry of Transport and most probably before the end of September we will be able to get the Cabinet approval", he said. ***** A study on air pollution in the city of Colombo by the Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF) has found that underprivileged segments of society are compelled to breathe dozens of toxic chemicals due to their poor living conditions, while a considerable number of people - traffic police officers, pavement hawkers, trishaw drivers, shop keepers in non-air conditioned shops, all drivers of non-air conditioned vehicles, bus drivers and conductors are exposed to 'bad' air daily because of their occupation. Schoolchildren studying near highly congested roads and those who are caught in peak traffic times when travelling are also compelled to breathe toxic substances in the air. Slum dwellers are at risk due to their poor living conditions. Most of the slum dwellings are located in highly congested areas near main roads and their small dwellings, which lack adequate space, are open to pollution 24-hours a day. According to the study, majority of slum dwellers suffer from high levels of coughs, colds and eye irritation. 100 per cent of regular trishaw travellers, 71 per cent of those who walk, 68 per cent of bus commuters, 67 per cent of those travelling in private vans and 63 per cent of train commuters suffer from eye irritation. People who spend three to eight hours or more on the road have higher incidence of all common respiratory symptoms. The PLIF research has also found that wealthy Colombo citizens
including people whose monthly income is more than Rs. 10,000 and use
their own vehicles are not vulnerable for air pollution. Citizens whose
monthly earnings are below Rs. 5,000 and use public transport are at
greater risk. Sigiriya gets tough on plastic
"Do not bring polythene or plastic any more," has been the plea for many popular tourist sites in Sri Lanka. The most recent to join this cry is Sigiriya, one of the world cultural heritages regarded the 8th wonder of the world. Sigiriya is already having its share of the so called 'development' marring its beauty with mounds of garbage covering its beautiful landscape and polythene blocking its waterways. Garbage is becoming a big problem in Sigiriya. Multicoloured cellophane bags (shopping bags) can be seen hanging from adjacent trees as the birds vie with each other for larger pieces of clear cellophane lunch wrappers to adorn their nests. "Some hotels dispose their garbage including polythene in the jungle and various animals feed on them. You can even see elephant dung with undigested polythene in it," said a villager in Sigiriya. A recent Central Cultural Fund lead garbage collection campaign carried out by the Sri Lanka Army, "Over 350 gunny bags of plastic bottles and shopping bags were collected from the Northern and Eastern slopes leading to the Lion's feet," said K.B. Chandana Weerasena, Research and Promotions Officer, CCF Sigiriya. A previous campaign carried out with the support of the Sri Lanka Air Force and schoolchildren, had collected eighty one gunny bags of polythene, from the vicinity. CCF authorities introduced a cloth bag, to replace polythene bags in Sigiriya on June 8, 2004, said Weerasena. Though the number of polythene bags taken into the site had reduced but the number of plastic bottles dumped in the area remains high. To alleviate this problem, CCF plans to introduce a system where individuals who want to take plastic bottles to the site will need to keep a deposit at the gate. "The deposit could be collected after producing the empty
bottle," he said. -VSF Guide to National Parks Gal Oya With a rich fauna diversity, the Gal Oya National Park in the Badulla District has one of the most beautiful scenic settings. Established in 1954, the 25,900 hectare park, mainly designed to protect the catchment area of Senanayake Samudra Reservoir was handed over to the Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1965. Rich in bio-diversity, Gal Oya is the only valley in the country where several Sinhala Kings built their kingdoms. The ruins of palaces built by King Tissa, King Buvanekabahu and King Dore Swamy still adorn the park. The Diga Vapi Dagoba built in the 2nd century BC to mark the spot where the Buddha is supposed to have sat during his last visit to Sri Lanka attracts thousands of pilgrims annually. Rich in bio-diversity, half of the Park comprises evergreen forest and the rest includes savana, grassland and chena. The dense closed canopy layer is dominated by halmilla, etamba, kalumediriya and ebony. Dominant species of tree are aralu, bulu and gammalu, which have medicinal values. A total of 32 species of terrestrial mammals including the common Langur, endemic Toque Macaque, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Elephant, Wild Boar and three species of Deer and Water Buffalos have been recorded in the Gal Oya National Park. This is also a land rich in avifauna. Of more than 334 species of birds in Sri Lanka, 150 have been observed in the Gal Oya region. Endemic Red Faced Malkoha and Sri Lanka Spurfowl can be found in the park. Gal Oya is the breeding place for the Painted Partridge and Brown Capped Babbler. Large numbers of fish eating birds like Pelicans, Cormorants, Herons, Grey Headed Fishing Eagles and White Bellied Sea Eagles are the common visitors around the lakes and tanks. The usual haunt of Brahminy Kites is the Senanayake Samdura. The park also shelteres frugivorous birds such as Hornbills, Pigeons and Parrots. Rat Snakes, Python, Venomous Snakes and Russel's Viper are common in the Gal Oya National Park. Several species of gekko, fresh water turtles and star tortoises are the common residents in irrigation canals. The Park lying within the dry zone is influenced by the North-East monsoon and has an annual rainfall of about 1,766 mm. Located nearly 300 kilo metres away from Colombo, the easiest route is via Ratnapura, Pelmadulla, Uda Walawe, Thanamalwila, Wellawaya, Monaragala and then north from Siyambalanduwe to Inginiyagala. No accommodation is available inside the park. But circuit bungalow is available at Ekgal Aru just 23 kilo metres away from the park office. Source: Department of Wildlife Conservation Complied by: Shanika Sriyananda EFL goes to court against CEA The Environmental Foundation Ltd (EFL) has filed a plea in the Court of Appeal requesting that the project approval given by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) for the hydro-electric power project on the Bomuruella falls, on the upper reaches of the Uma Oya, at Perawella, Nuwara Eliya be quashed. The proposed hydropower project, estimated to add 9.2 MW of power to the national grid is located on lands administered by the Forest Department in the Kandapola - Seetha Eliya Forest Reserve, which is rich in bio-diversity. According to EFL sources, though the project is located in an environmentally sensitive area, the CEA granted the project approval to Manikawita Hydro-Power Development (Private) Ltd., without an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). No evaluation as to the damage that can be caused by such a project has been carried out, other than an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) Report, which is less complete and not open to public comment. The respondents are the Central Environmental Authority, the Conservator-General of Forests, the Ceylon Electricity Board, and the private company. The EFL has also requested the Court to call for an EIA and make it available for public comment. It has requested Court to issue an interim order, restraining Manikawita Hydro-Power Development (Private) Ltd., from implementing the project pending the conclusion of the EIA process. |
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