12 January 2021 12:04 am
By Chamil Rupasinghe
Senior Professor of the Faculty of Geological Studies in Peradeniya University Athula Senaratne has warned that any development activity in the Muthurajawela wetland would result in serious consequences affecting human life.
He told the media yesterday at Peradeniya University that arsenic contents mixed with other minerals if exposed to air would dilute in water and cause extensive pollution of underground water resources. He pointed out that research over the last three decades had clearly indicated that the Muthurajawela wetland was unfit for development activity and that any attempt to meddle with its environmental conditions would result in disastrous consequences.
“A Similar wetland in Bangladesh had been developed for housing purposes and the people settled in the area were provided drinking water through tube wells. Hundreds of people died by drinking poisonous water mixed with arsenic and toxic minerals. The Muthurajawela wetland had been a lagoon about 40,000 years ago which had turned into a wetland during the course of time. Deposits of arsenic and several minerals including mercury when exposed to air would dilute and turn water resources poisonous” He said
Prof.Senaratne further said the Muthurajawela wetland should be left intact and that it should be conserved as a sensitive environmental zone.