By Chandra Jayaratne –
Chandra Jayaratne
I kindly invite the persons addressed by this open letter, to take a walk in Colombo these days when there is no rain; specifically walking along the many drains situated alongside the roads, which normally carry rain water and waste water. I am sure you will find them filled mostly with leaves of trees and other compostable material; and at times other biodegradable material and regrettably even some times along with polyether bags and other plastic material.
You will thus be able to realize why and how, heavy rain fall, even over short periods, cause city flooding; risking both motor accidents and damages to roadways, property and inconveniences to business enterprises and households; which occur so often, as regularly revealed in media exposes. You will also realize that extremely cost effective strategic change management action by the Colombo Municipality and civic conscious action by householders and businesses can easily mitigate all of the above risks.
It is suggested for your collective consideration the following corrective action to mitigate identified risks:
* CMC cleaning staff and garbage collectors be engaged one day in every week, to clean out the rain and waste water drains of leaves, other compostable/bio-degradable material and polythene/plastics material and appropriately dispose of them
* Build awareness and civic consciousness amongst householders and business enterprises on the need to regularly clean and appropriately dispose of all leaves, other compostable/bio-degradable material and polythene/plastics material if present in the rain water and waste water drains inside the premises and also in and around their premises.
* CMC Inspectors to check routinely on their regular inspections in order to ensure due compliance of above by CMC Staff and householders/businesses
* Enlist the support of environmentalists, civil society groups and corporate social responsibility committed businesses, to join the CMC in the awareness building and in promoting civic conscious actions of householders and businesses
I look forward to collective committed action making our City more livable and with much reduced risks.
Yours Sincerely,
Chandra Jayaratne
K.A. Sumanasekera / March 7, 2020
Ms Rosy looks absolutely beautiful in that mayoral Outfit and looks the part too.
In fact the Lady looks more like the President in comparison to our Bush Shirt clad Nandasena who is the real deal .
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Anyway I am bit crossed with Dr Jayarathna for asking our poor Road Sweepers from Aban who push those Elite Rubbish up the steep sidelanes is Wellala Gardens to do even more work .
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Those Ammes and Appochies I don’t think have even one descent meal a day .
Otherwise they won’t be that skinny with just the bones and the skin on them.
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When I saw Ms Rosy here I thought what a difference in basic Human Rights after those ace Human Rights Protectors in Dr Rani and his UNP and their NGOs buddies in Colombo talked so much about restoring Human Rights for four full years under their Yahaplanaya…
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Wouldn’t it be better to demand Abans to give those poor sods at least an extra 150 Ruppiahs to buy a decent Bath Packet from Sumanadisi Bakery , before asking them to clear gutters as well . so Mr Jayarathana and his mates can drive their cars comfortably even during the Monsoon Season.
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Amarasiri / March 7, 2020
Kiribanda A Sumanasekera,
“Ms Rosy looks absolutely beautiful in that mayoral Outfit and looks the part too.”
“In fact the Lady looks more like the President in comparison to our Bush Shirt clad Nandasena who is the real deal .”
Yes, and besides she has no gray hair, a nice smile and the mother of three children.
Too frequent meals and lack of exercise lead to diabetes, and about a third of the Para-imbeciles are diabetic or pre- diabetic. Looks like only those who have one meal a day and getting some exercise are free from diabetes. Gota should give some free exercise by asking the imbeciles to clean the clogged drains for free, before the rains come.
Being bony is not that bad. Being fat and obese is worse. Looks like most of the tribe are fat and obese. Just look at Mahinda and Shiranthi of the Tribe. Looks like they are storing all the stolen loot in their bodies, by converting to fat.
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Adrian / March 7, 2020
I didn’t recognise her without her sunglasses.
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K.Anaga / March 9, 2020
I thought ‘Sweeping Changes’ has been made from Abans to Clean Tech?
I think Rosy should take a walk down the road without her attire, I mean her Mayoral dress and see for herself how the taxpayers’ money goes ‘down the drain’ without adequate cleaning.
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bganendra / March 7, 2020
This particular issue has been bought to the notice of the Colombo -MC several times. But no action has been taken. Mattakkuliya area, Modera and Crow Island Housing scheme areas have not been cleaned for ages.
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Aloy / March 7, 2020
The writer ask us to take a walk along the drains on the roadside that carry rain water and waste water. The wastewater is not supposed to discharge into the drains. All drains in the area concerned (Wellala Gardens between Horton Place and Ward Place were covered by the then mayor (former speaker Karu) who did an excellent job, to prevent rubbish to enter the drains and to make more space o the road usable. This was the reason I commented that Karu should be the common candidate back in 2015. My3 was promoted instead to save ‘Rani’. This efficient lady in maroon also would have been suitable contender if not or her ‘BA’ title.
Anyway, my question to her is why she is allowing a private business (a particular very high ‘fee levying’ private school) to occupy both Rosemead Place and Barnes Place on school days without allowing the road users move freely. On school days between 10.30 and 2pm the the entire stretch of Barnes Place is a parking lot. Either the CMC should ask the school to build a multi storied car park or limit the number of students.
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rbh / March 7, 2020
Happiness is living within environment. For many years government has seen the premises of Station & sanitation. Men hanging from trains, with just a toehold on the footboard, is a common sight in the city. Despite a number of deaths due to this practice, commuters continue to ride on footboards mostly due to lack of space inside the compartment, but at times just for the thrill and attraction of tourist from worlds class hotels, and foreigners read sri lanka through this. What are the preventive measures designed to protect against harmful particles to breathing protection is required.
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whywhy / March 7, 2020
More than two third of Colombo City do not have Trees so , less leaf . People in the country
don’t have the habit of keeping their rubbish to themselves , it is always someone else’s
stuff ! That’s the version of Srilankan socialism ! Not only house holders , street vendors
and the general public , all need help with litter boxes and pickers and street cleaners on a
regular basis. Strictly No Politics here ! Municipalities around the country have great
responsibilities in maintaining the environment .
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JD / March 7, 2020
Mr. Jayarathne has taken every thing wrong. Politicians from the top has politicized the system completely. Why should the Trade Unions these labourers are attached to be of different colours when only one trade union is needed to raise their any grievances. So, only thing Rosy Senanayake did was renovating her Mayoress mansion and after that she is earning a Salary, benefits and perks and nothing because it is a dysfunctional system. It says, garbage along the ditches aggravated in poor areas where there is no organized voice or powerful living there. What people can do is not paying municipal taxes. .
What is the need of TRADE UNIONS in different colours to address the same group of work force ?. That is ruining the country.
I heard, Railway is also over staffed. Yet, they strike .
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JD / March 7, 2020
As most of the politicians are Rosy Senanayake too grabbing a salary for doing nothing. What is the solution ?
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Rajash / March 7, 2020
unplanned unauthorized sub standard condominiums another reason for flooding. Corrupt CMC officials are taking bribes from scruples builders and turning a blind eye. by lanes all over Colombo have narrowed beyond recognition’s as street line laws are also ignored by the scruples builders
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Siri / March 7, 2020
I was living in Malaysia, and there the local authorities clean the drains once a month. In Dehiwala area like every where the drains are clogged with dirts, the stagnant pools of wast water is a good breeding ground for mosquitoes. We are ready to clean the drains if all the residents pitch in to do it, and the local councillors should mobilise the residents to do it for the good of all.
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Ajay / March 7, 2020
No, not the impoverished municipal road sweepers who are underpaid and already overworked. Gota must order the well-fed human labour units lounging all day in robes and fatigues and wasting away watching the newsporn dished out 24 X 7 by Sirasa, Derana & Hiru … to get off their butts. He must yell “Out with the brooms … … Right Now … You Kaala Kanni … Axxholes.”
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JD / March 8, 2020
Mr. Jayarathne is a the head of the Colombo – Chamber of Commerce. So, he should be a good go getter person. Yet, he is preying in front of the Colombo Mayoress ASKING HER TO HER JOB WHICH IS GOVERNING THE COLOMBO MUNICIPALITY. I can not understand it. Why there are councillors representing, as some one said here, each of these localities ? Should the president has to involve in that too. Is Sri lanka that dysfunctional ?
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Wimpy Kid / March 8, 2020
Rosy this is not a beauty contest please do your job properly.
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K.A. Sumanasekera / March 8, 2020
JD says this Dr Jayarathna is the Boss of the Colombo Chamber of Commerce.
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That is good news..
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Dr Jayrathna must put a good word to Aban Bosses and give those poor Street Sweepers not only 150 Bux for a Bath Packet.
He also should order them to give each one ,a pair of comfortable walking shoes from Bata, to protect their skinny feet ,
And a wide brim hat to protect from the scorching Sun .
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I am sure those members who attend Chamber of Commerce Meetings and Cocktail Parties spend more on the Booz at each gathering ,than the cost of a meal and a pair of shoes for a Dalit for a whole year.
And my Elders tell me Ms Rosy spent LKR 34 Million to upgrade the Toilet Suit ,The Shower and the Make Up Room as soon as Dr Rani put her in the Mayoral Chair. .
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And I am sure they used to sign those regular issue notices to us about the Preservation and Protection of Human Rights in Advertisements by the Colombo Elites Friday Forum and Pasiokothy’s Good Governance Charter when Dr Rani’s Yahapalanaya was in place.
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Paramanathan K / March 12, 2020
During the time when current president Gotabaya Rajapakse was the Defense Secretary, he spearheaded the project to beautify City of Colombo which gave good look. Trees were planted and maintained well to see most of them have grown beautifully that gave lush greenery , the walking tracks, beautifully paved payments are a few to be mentioned. It is sad to note that CMC is not able to continue the good work carried out by Gotabaya Rajapakse after losing in the presidential election in 2015. It is a shameful affair on Mayoress Rosy that she couldn’t plant a single tree during her tenure. Roads within the Colombo Municipality limits are in total darkness or in poor working condition which is an eyesore. See the plight of Marine Drive from Colpetty to Wellawatte is in pitch darkness in the nights, it is a nightmare to drive along Marines Drive in the nights.
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