Use of illegal drugs/creams by schoolchildren:

More vigilance needed

by Ananda Kannangara

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardana recently urged school authorities and elders to be vigilant over the consuming of illegal drugs, and the use of cigarettes, varieties of hair cream and perfumes by schoolchildren which had harmful side effects on them.

According to numerous complaints, received by the Education Ministry, many schoolchildren are in the habit of smoking cigarettes and taking illegal drugs after school hours and also during school sessions, without the knowledge of teachers.

This situation has been brought to the attention of the Education Minister by parents of schoolchildren.

Minister Gunawardana told the Junior Observer that it is the duty of teachers as well as parents to keep a close eye on the day-to-day activities of the children.

“If the school and outside activities of children are not properly monitored by elders regularly, there are possibilities for children to indulge in unlawful activities which ultimately lead to the destruction of their lives at a tender age,” he said. A principal of a leading boys’ school in Colombo said he had directed school prefects to keep a close tab on every student who uses a variety of hair cream and perfumes which are completely banned for schoolchildren, considering that they cause severe mental disorders.

He also referred to a recent incident that took place in a school in Gampaha where nine children were found to be intoxicated by painkiller drugs.

According to the Dangerous Drug Control Board it was reported that these children had used commonly available drugs, excessively, to have a temporary satisfaction.

Meanwhile, a senior police personnel attached to the Cinnamon Garden Police said steps have also been taken to crack down on students in school uniforms roaming the city during school hours.

“We have also instructed cinema hall owners and other places of entertainment not to allow schoolchildren in uniform to enter such places during school sessions,” he added.

New measures to control polythene/plastic waste

by Rohana Jayalal

Banning polythene has become impracticable as no successful alternative is found, Central Environmental Authority (CEA) Chairman Charitha Herath said recently.

He said the CEA has taken an initiative with stakeholders to introduce measures to minimise the negative impact on the environment and human health due to the use of thin polythene.It is in this connection that the Post Consumer Plastic and Polythene Waste Management Unit (PCPPWMU) attached to the CEA has been established, and a cess tax on imported raw material has been imposed, he explained.

The PCPPWMU will promote reusing and recycling and also introduce biodegradable substitutes for plastic and polythene with special means to mitigate the environmental impact.

The CEA will monitor the disposal of plastic and polythene waste to the environment with special attention to control polythene grocery bags and lunch sheets which are used and thrown haphazardly.

A CEA survey has revealed that over 70 per cent of the total output of plastic and polythene produced is disposed to the environment, creating a threat to the biosphere, Herath said.

A day to focus on the OZONE

The Earth's ozone layer protects all life forms on this planet from the harmful effects of the rays of the Sun. However, man's careless actions have led to the depletion of this protective layer causing great damage to the environment and health of the people.

In 1987 representatives from 24 countries met in Montreal, Canada and announced to the world that it was time to stop destroying the ozone layer. These countries committed themselves, via the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, to rid the world of substances that threaten the ozone layer. On December 19, 1994,the UN General Assembly proclaimed September 16 as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.It is celebrated on this day every year to commemorate the date the Montreal Protocol was signed..

The day was first celebrated on September 16, 1995. Many promotional items used on this day feature images of the Sun, sky, or Earth's natural environment to represent the ozone's importance in protecting the environment.

Oldest cemetery discovered

Archaeologists have discovered the oldest cemetery in Sri Lanka on a land 4,000 feet above sea level. The burial ground was discovered during excavations carried out in the Haldummulla area in the Badulla district. The research was led by Prof. Raj Somadewa, from the Archaeological Post-Graduate Institute of Kelaniya University. The burial ground is located adjoining the road leading to the Haldummulla Tamil Vidyalaya. The cemetery spans an area of five acres.

Prof. Somadeva said that ancient tombs dating back to 3,000 years have also been found. Researchers had found such tombs in Haldummulla prior to this as well. Several clay objects were also recovered.

- RJ