Gasp, puff, pant!
Colombo may be looking greener, but it is still a
long way from being cleaner and meeting the livability criteria:
by Manjula Fernando
Returning from an overseas visit no sooner I stepped out of the
flight at the Katunayake International Airport, I was overwhelmed by the
feeling of a heavy chest. It wasn't that I disliked coming home but the
Colombo's air felt unusually thick as I breathed in.
As a regular user of an inhaler for wheezing, I am familiar with such
a feeling. But it was surprising that I did not have to touch my inhaler
during the 30- day stay Down Under.
Has the bo become so polluted that we breathe toxic fumes every
second? Was that the reason for my wheezing and not actually a medical
condition? For the many who live and work in Colombo, there is ample
reasons to be concerned.
The Colombo city is unhealthy in terms of its particulate pollution,
states a website of the Central Environmental Authority (CEA). According
to the CEA, Ambient PM10 level in Colombo has dropped since 1998 to
2012. However, currently being around 65 µg/m3, exceeds the World Health
Organisation's latest guideline of 50 µg/m3. This level is 150 in
Beijing, a leading city in the pollution list.
Particulate matter is the sum of all solid and liquid particles
suspended in air, many of which are hazardous.
This complex mixture contains dust, pollen, soot, smoke and liquid
droplets.
They are hazardous since these small particles less than 10
micrometres in diameter will deposit in the respiratory tract causing
potential health issues.
Research
A research article published in the Journal of the College of
Community Physicians of Sri Lanka in November 2012 titled 'Air Pollution
and Public Health in Developing Countries : Is Sri Lanka Different',
says "Many respiratory conditions are known to be associated with air
pollution and acute respiratory tract infections have a definitive
association with air pollution. "
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A bird’s eye view of the
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The environment in Colombo doesn't seem to have transformed for the
better for the past few years. Hence these pollutants could be the
reason for wheezing and other respiratory diseases. The research reveals
school children in the city are exposed to high levels of pollutants due
to overcrowding in major schools in urban areas, especially in the
Colombo metro area. If parents think their life is fulfilled because the
kids are in the best school in Colombo, they better think twice.
It has been observed the prevalence of respiratory symptoms such as
cough, phlem or wheezing, among school children attending a school in
Colombo close to a busy main road to be significantly high than that of
children attending a school in a peripheral area.
Colombo is cluttered with nearly 75 schools. Despite an ambitious
target set in 2013 to be the best livable city in the world by 2016,
Colombo seem to be moving exactly the opposite direction.
With beautiful tall structures being added to the City's skyline
every month, the Colombo these days is a hive of activity. If you
haven't been to Colombo, for a couple of years, the transformation of
the country's largest city will surely make you dizzy. The impressive
roadwork and magnificently tall structures are coming up rapidly.It
blends well with the city's parks and old colonial architecture of the
Dutch, Portugese and the British, elevating itself into a modern city.
These developments were targeted to achieve the goal of making
Colombo the best 'livable city' in 2016. Years ago plans were being made
to bid for the 'Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize' for the 'Best Livable
City' award in 2016 by the Urban Development Authority.
But what lies below the surface? The Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU)
Liveability Survey released August last year ranked Colombo among the 15
worst cities to live in. Colombo was ranked 128 of 140 cities.The place
has a static population of nearly 750,000. Half of these city dwellers
still live in poverty.
According to Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) There are nearly14,000
slums and 103, 000 housing units within the CMC limits. With another
estimated one million people visiting Colombo daily, over 700 metric
tonnes of solid waste is collected a day and its disposal a major
challenge to the CMC which has been grappling for decades.
Contamination.
It has contributed to severe ground water contamination. Although the
State ensures water in the pipelines are safe for drinking, the city is
grappling with a huge issue of ground water contamination.
The city's public transport system, is the biggest nightmare, which
no government has been able to conquer.
NUMBEO, a user contributed global database of cities and countries
worldwide, describes noise and light pollution and air pollution as one
of the major concerns in Colombo while ground water pollution has been
identified as a critical issue. They however has recorded visitor
satisfaction with parks and greenery in Colombo.Unless the government
steps in and find immediate solutions for underlying issues to make
Colombo a cleaner and greener city, the dream of making it the best
livable city will only be a dream forever.
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