Sri Lanka is a tourist hub having many places with scenic beauty.
The hill country mothers rare species of animals, beautiful rain forests, and mountains, while the northern peninsula has totally different environs. The coastal belt with sunshine is loved by tourists.
When traveling on railroad, these localities with divine beauty can be seen from a different perspective.
Yet many local travelers and sightseers are yet to be educated in an effective manner to act in an eco-friendly and socially responsible manner to keep the environment free from pollution.
Odds and ends commuters throw out from the train have become a huge threat to the mere existence of Mother Nature. Plastic bags and broken pieces of glass bottles even pose a great danger, leaving room for rail road accidents.
A team of environment-friendly people who are also passionate rail users have gone on foot on the railroad from Pattipola to Idalgashinna engaging in a project branded as ‘Rail Pa 2018’ to clean the railway track from litter.
Rail Pa 2018 rail road cleaning project
The brainchild of Rail Pa project, Ranjan Theodor who is an ardent nature lover, has obtained prior permission from railway authorities for this on foot cleaning project, since walking on railroad is prohibited by the law.
Fort railway station in Colombo is situated 4.9 meters above the sea level, while Pattipola railway station being the railway station at the summit remains 1897 meters above the sea level.
The Hill country railroad being Sri Lanka’s main railroad runs in between a highly sensitive environment patch of rain forests, fountains and waterfalls. Sri Lankan railroads consists 45 tunnels and 43 of them are in the hill country rail road.
Nonetheless it is widely exposed to pollution done by unruly commuters and travelers. Speaking of their successful venture, Ranjan Theodor said, “Rail Pa 2018 social project was twofold. Our main object was to clean environs in which the train passes through. Second purpose was to involve young people in this project with a view to motivating them on spending their leisure time in a productive manner by travelling within Sri Lanka, experiencing the beauty of our country, in a socially responsible manner. This time around our team comprised 30 young people lead by Somaratne Bandara”.
He also said, “Amidst extreme weather conditions, we could collect ten large bags of non-decaying litter such as plastic bottles and plastic cups within a mere four kilometers.
We yearn to see these volumes shrink in future. Our country is rich with greenery and locations with diverse climatic conditions. These places also nurture bio-diversity. People in the country, especially the young generation who travel as teams seeking fun should pay serious attention on keeping the environment free from pollution.”
Ranjan says he has longed to become a Locomotive driver which has not become a reality. He now enjoys being a regular commuter and thinks it is his duty to keep the railroads free from pollution.
Being an elderly person, Ranjan with his team of youngsters has commenced Rail Pa project in 2017 and look forward to continue it in the years to come.
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