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Global warming, climate change, the greenhouse effect, the reasons
for the deterioration of the ozone layer, it leads to the same
conclusion - gradual destruction of mother earth. Very soon mankind will
be descending from the frying pan into the fire, knowingly and therefore
willingly, why? because we simply don't care.
We seem to be hell bent living for the present, feathering our own
nests, making hay while the sun shines, extracting from mother Earth
almost everything she possesses, sucking her dry from the inside while
on the outside we're doing our best to turn our green earth into a
barren landscape.
Just as a wound needs healing not only from the outside (application
of creams, dressings etc.) it needs healing from the inside as well
(antibiotics, injections etc.). We could plant more fruit trees, reduce
deforestation and seek alternative forms of energy.
We need to draw the line, enough is enough, why cut the grass from
underneath our feet? In most instances all efforts to create an
awareness of the magnitude of this calamity is akin to pouring water on
a duck's back, you could take a horse to the water but you can't make it
drink it. We have to stand up, take notice and act fast.
Here's how we could contribute our mite towards tackling climate
change:
If every household reduces their consumption of electricity (the
exception being the majority of all households which use firewood for
cooking etc. which is an absolute necessity in the rural/village areas,
due to economic reasons) disposes of dry leaves and twigs compost
instead of burning them, wherever possible.
If we avoid business travel by car/air and use video/teleconferencing
equipment instead.
If we share our car journeys with friends, when attending meetings
and adopt a car share scheme to and from work etc.
If notices are displayed above/below every electric switch and at
vantage points (Fans/ A/C, lights) - "Please switch off, when not in
use/when leaving", we would be contributing our mite towards this very
noble and worthy cause.
"There are none so blind as those who would not see, and none so deaf
as those who would not hear" - the facts are staring us in the face.
Let's act now if not for our sake, for the sake of our children and
their children... man's inhumanity to man will in all probability lead
to the destruction of mankind, in the not too distant future.
WASANTHKUMAR PERERA,
Ja-Ela
On two consecutive days in the week, I being a member of the public,
telephoned thrice in the mornings and four times in the afternoons to
get at the Municipal officer regarding an important subject that is now
referred to the Presidential Secretariat, Janadipathy Mandiraya, Colombo
1.
The Municipal officer's peon is positioned to answer the telephone
calls. The peon is trained so well that he insists for the name of the
caller. Hence, the peon decides in making a long story short-answering
without the batting of an eye-lid - "Boss is not in" - "At a Conference"
- "Gone for lunch". "Gone for late lunch" (3.15 p.m.) - "On leave" -
soon and so forth.
These stock phrases off a peon's computerised gab raised suspicion.
To test the veracity of the peon's utterings a visit was made to the MMC
office used the hand-phone from a ventage point and ascertained the
stark truth.
The officer comfortably perched on a cushioned seat, protected well
and truly inside a glass cubicle with peon acting as sheet anchor
playing a safe game.
This recurring decimal of not being able to speak or meet these
Municipal bureaucrats tantamounts to calculated mischief adopted perhaps
to be-little the Government of the day.
To beware of workers who are shirkers in institutions is a timely
warning for good governance in the country.
C. L. TERANCE FERNANDO,
Moratuwa
If one loses the ID card, they have to get a police report and submit
it to the Grama Sevaka to obtain a new one.
The hassle one has to undergo at the Dehiwela Police station to
obtain the police report, to say the least, is terrible.
First you have to go to the police station and wait for the PC to
take down your complaint. There is only one complaint book in the police
station and all sorts of complaints, including criminal cases, assault,
theft etc. all are hand written in this book by the PC's.
In addition to the queue waiting to make complaints about their
various grievances, sometimes one has to wait for the book to come to
the complaint counter, for it may have been taken for various other
purposes. Many a time, one waits for the whole day only to be told to
come on another day.
If one is lucky to get the complaint written, then the problem is not
over. They have to come back again with a request letter to the OIC
requesting him to release a copy. You may have to come several times to
get his signature on this letter for he may not be available or may be
busy to sign. If you are lucky to get his signature you will certainly
be asked to come on another day, usually a week later to get the copy
written.
When you come back, again the book may be missing, or you have to
wait in a queue for the copy to be written, for the PC may be busy or
just lazy and you are at their mercy until actually this copy is handed
over to you.
Once I saw a female PC just looking at the ceiling and waiting for
over 15 minutes while a complainant patiently waited for the copy to be
written. He was scared to ask her to write lest she gets angry. She at
last started writing at her own cool time. All this while, we have to be
extra cautious going out on the roads for at every corner the police and
army are checking your ID card.
Surely, we are living in the 21st century. Even the typewriter is
obsolete now but here we are still hand writing the complaints. When
even people in remote villages are using computer and photocopy machines
right in the center of Colombo we have to undergo these painful
experiences. Even centuries earlier, this simple task would have been
much quicker.
Why not make the life of the citizens and the poor overworked PC's
simpler by:
1. Giving pre-printed forms asking for all details of the ID card,
how it is lost etc. to be filled by the complainant
2. As soon as it is submitted issue a copy (either original filled in
duplicate or take a photocopy) duly signed by OIC or an elected officer
and franked. Such simple procedures will make life easier both for the
common man and the police officers, save a lot of man-hours and further,
the police station less of a terrorising place. After all, the Law
officers must be the friends on the common man not the oppressors.
DR. MAREENA THAHA REFFAI,
Dehiwela
Hope there shall be a programme/law to punish the garbage dumpers,
who put their garbage in others' premises or on the prohibited areas.
Anyway its a good move and let's hope things will go ahead.
ABDUL RAZZAK
As a senior citizen I'm perturbed over the present situation in Sri
Lanka. The media is playing a sinister role to create tension in the
country. I feel that the Security Forces are doing a perfect and
wonderful job in spite of many unpatriotic elements in the country.
The media is the biggest element. The media is poking its fingers
into the security affairs to expose it to the enemies. Why should the
media bother about the movement or the location of the STF?
The strategy of the Security Forces are not the matters that could be
discussed publicly. When the members of the Security Forces are
sacrificing their lives to liberate people and the areas under the
control of an armed group, the media is ridiculing the Forces and in the
name of media freedom are trying to expose the security strategy to the
enemies.
There are politicians working for foreign countries. Those
politicians work hand in glove with the media and try to create
situations to enable the Western world to take a hold in Asia through
Sri Lanka in the name of Human Rights.
There can be no democracy or transparency in the matters of security
when innocent lives are lost and the people are moving on the road with
fear due to bombs and the suicide cadres.
So please take stern action against the unpatriotic elements and be
strict with the media regards the security matters.
S.T. RAJAH,
Colombo 3
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