How to minimise road accidents

Winner:

t is no secret that the number of road accidents is increasing by leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, many innocent lives are lost as a result of this. Who is responsible for these road accidents? In most instances these accidents are caused due to sheer negligence and recklessness of people.

No one can dispute the fact that many drivers do not observe the highway code. Drivers should be vigilant and pay attention, especially at crossings.

As most drivers do not stop at pedestrian crossings many people cross the road from various places.

Drunken driving is also a contributory factor for fatal accidents. People who drive should act with more responsibility and avoid driving under the influence of liquor.

High speed driving is another major cause for road accidents in Sri Lanka. Belching vehicles on the road too can cause road accidents. Some do not possess driving licences although they drive vehicles.

Those who sit behind a wheel should be very careful, especially on rainy days because the roads are slippery and the visibility too is poor. Many people are in the habit of running across roads, unexpedtedly.

How can we minimise the number of road accidents?

The Government should impose strict laws for errant drivers. On the other hand, pedestrians too should be educated on road rules.

Motorists should also wear seat belts and motor cyclists should wear helmets when travelling on the road. People should not be permitted to use mobile phones when driving and riding.There should be discipline on the road and people should strictly follow road rules. We have to be patient when using the road and not do anything that could endanger someone’s life.

Let’s determine to be good road users for the safety of the general public.

Thisari Imesha Akannangara,
Grade 9E,
St. Mary’s College, Mathugama.

Stop the spread of dengue

Winner:

Dengue is a viral disease spread by a mosquito. There is no vaccine for dengue. At present, it has become a major threat to Sri Lanka because every year a large number of people become victims of this deadly disease.

Those who die of dengue are mostly children and therefore the Government has taken special measures to prevent the spread of dengue in the country.

Dengue mosquitoes lay eggs in clean water and even a very small amount of water is sufficient for a dengue mosquito to lay eggs. For example, even the lid of a tooth paste tube can be the breeding place of a dengue mosquito.

Dengue spreads widely after the monsoon rains. Therefore, the disease spreads fast in the wet zone in Sri Lanka as this region gets rain throughout the year.

The only step we can take to prevent dengue from spreading is to keep the environment free from mosquito breeding places.Many have died this year as a result of dengue, so, it is important to keep the environment free of water collecting receptacles.

L. H. Isuri Arunoda,
Grade 8-1,
Veyangoda Bandaranaike Central College.

The light in the night

Winner:

On a clear dark night it’s a bright flare which flaunts the sky. The friend of twinkling stars, it gives light to the entire world. It is brilliant in a silvery colour.

The silvery beams that light up the world beneath at night, attracts many people to watch the night sky.

The various star patterns around it are mesmerising. This is a fabulous sight in the night sky.

When poets composed poems they looked at it and were inspired to write poems more beautifully. Because it is very calm at night and also gives a sense of serenity and security to humans, I spend long hours watching the night sky. It gives me great pleasure.

Can you guess what this bright light, the only satelite of Planet Earth is? Yes, it’s the light of lights, the ‘Moon,’ shaped like a huge O.

W. Ishara Madushani Fernando,
Grade 9D,
NW/Ch/Wen/Girls’ College Dankotuwa.

Waste not, want not

Winner:

Water that flows in streams and rivers quench the thirst of both man and animal. Bauxite mined from the earth is used for industrial purposes. The water and the Bauxite are precious to humans because they are needed to fulfill man’s necessities. Such sources are defined as natural resources because they fulfill human necessities as well as ensure the existence of humans.

A gem hidden in the earth has no significant value. But after it is mined and cut, the gem carries a high value. Similarly, the value of natural resources that exist in the environment increases through human intervention. The knowledge, skill and experience that humans possess to extract and use them add more value to these natural resources.

From the earliest days of civilisation, natural resources were recognised and used by humans.

Then in the nineteenth century, the Industrial Revolution drastically changed the role of such natural resources. Large scale utilisation was needed to fulfil the necessities of the industrial lifestyle. Deposits of resources such as iron ore and coal were increasingly tracked down and mined as fuel and raw materials for industries.

This large scale utilisation posed no immediate threat or problem to humans or the environment, apart from pollution.However, as the years progressed, humans realised that natural resources do not regenerate at the same rate at which they are being utilised. While it took only a matter of hours to cut down full grown trees it took many years for similar trees to grow back again. During this period of time the ecological balance of the environment would be lost. Many animals would lose their habitats while concerns such as soil erosion would mount, causing in the end, many serious environmental issues.

Humans realised that natural resources were not everlasting but degenerating, and would one day be gone forever. Today, the world is dependant on resources such as fossil fuels to generate the energy needed for the machines and vehicles used around the globe. Without these resources the mechanised world will grind to a halt by the year 2050, as estimated by experts in the field.

The utilisation of natural resources in a pre-planned methodical manner can be called the management of natural resources. At present, steps have been taken towards a better management of natural resources.

In Sri Lanka, the Government issues official permits for activities such as mining and logging with the view of controlling over utilisation. There are many other steps that can be taken to manage the use of natural resources in a better manner than that of the present. Rules and regulations regarding natural resources can be revised and reinforced regularly. The general public has to be further informed regarding the importance and value of natural resources through effective programmes.

It is a duty of humankind to use natural resources intelligently for the betterment of all beings on the earth. Through a methodical approach to natural resources, they can be used effectively. Let us remember that those who do not waste will never want for anything.

Nillasi Liyanage,
Grade 12G1 (Arts),
Musaeus College, Colombo.

Amazing pitcher plant

Winner:

The pitcher plant which grows in shallow areas where soil is poor in nitrogen, is an amazing plant. It has large leaves which are twisted to form a pitch-shaped vessel with a lid. It attracts insects with this pitcher in which rainwater is accumulated. The inner walls of the pitcher are lined with fine hairs which are directed downwards. When an insect, attracted by the water inside, goes into the pitcher, it gets trapped inside.

However much it would struggle to come out, it has no escape. The hairs keep it entangled and the insect eventually dies of exhaustion. Ultimately, the insect is digested and absorbed by the plant.

This is how the amazing pitcher plant catches insects.

Shehani Maheshika Dilini Ekanayake,
Grade 7B,
Girls’ High School,
Kandy.

Annual school trip

A visit to the Victoria hydro-electricity power plant was the annual educational trip this year. The night before this eventful day, I could not have a good night’s sleep because I was dreaming about this fun trip so much. Inspite of the darkness early in the morning, I had to rush to school with my father because we were asked to report to school before the scheduled time for the buses to leave. After invoking the blessings of the Buddha at the school Buddha shrine, we were allowed to take our seats in the buses. Like a happy band of picnickers, we started the journey, singing and clapping. When the sun rays began to fall we were in the country side. We noticed that the bus was not running smoothly and realised that it was because we were passing the highlands.

The teachers had a difficult time trying to keep us quiet as we were not willing to stop the singing. However, as they emphasised the need for discipline and behaviour we stopped our singing, once we reached our destination. In accordance with the rules we had to queue up and walk towards the high security area. I could not believe my eyes. It is not just a reservoir but also a magnificent creation. What’s more, this awesome creation was surrounded by a picturesque mountain range.

We learnt that, about 6000 families who dwelled here were evacuated and also that the former town of Theldeniya too went underwater during construction. About 722 million cubic metres of water had been blocked and stored by a huge concrete dam which is 122 metres in height and 520 metres in length. The water plunges over the dam and falls into the deep basin in a mist. It was so spectacular that we didn’t feel like leaving the place.

After viewing this great dam, we visited the power plant which generates 210 mega watts, the highest amount of hydro-electricity in the country.

The reservoir is located at an elevated landscape and the power plant is at a lower point. We were allowed to visit the power plant in small groups.

An official described the hydro power generation process to us. The sound of the machines and water echoed all over and made the place seem eerie and strange. Rotating turbines and other machinery could be seen inside the place and we found it somewhat dangerous. When we came out of this glorious site, having gathered a lot of knowledge, it was already evening. So, we started our return journey. On our way back, we visited the Sri Dalada Maligawa.

With the blessings of the Sacred Tooth Relic we were able to reach the school at night without any mishaps.

Yasasi Liyanage,
Grade 9-C,
Bidyakara Balika Vidyalaya,
Maharagama.