For a greener COLOMBO

5 October 2012 06:30 pm

After having suffered thirty years of war, Sri Lanka today is reaping the full rewards of being a nation at peace. Tourist arrivals are on the rise, and the country has been chosen to host several significant international events. These include the 58th annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference that was held last month, the on-going Twenty20 Cricket World Cup, and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled for 2013.
While fostering higher economic growth is critical in this context, it is important to recognise that there are a number of other areas in which significant improvements are being made. Urban development is one of these key areas.

The overall quality of Sri Lanka’s urban spaces must improve, and more facilities must be introduced to foster a good working environment as well as pleasant and relaxed living standards. We need to develop clean, green, people friendly cities. The environment needs to be preserved so that people can enjoy the beauty of this country’s natural greenery and abundant waterways.

The Metro Colombo Urban Development Project that has been undertaken by the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development is a five-year long undertaking financed through a World Bank loan that addresses a number of issues that have long troubled the city. Primarily, it will address the various flood and drainage issues that Colombo suffers from due to its rapid, organic growth over many decades. The city’s drainage infrastructure, including its micro drainage channels, primary and secondary canals and lakes will be improved. The long neglected Beire Lake will be completely renovated. Its gates, tributaries and output channels will be unblocked and improved, and the pollution that has been caused by unauthorised settlements and buildings will be addressed. Once the project is completed, the Beire Lake will be transformed from its present state to a worthy centrepiece for a revitalised city. The various improvements that will be made to the Beddegana Park under this project are also notable. The Green Growth Programme which is being carried out in parallel with the Metro Colombo Urban Development Project and funded through a World Bank grant, will protect the marshy areas in the metro region, enhance its biodiversity parks, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the eco-friendly nature of the city.



In terms of sustainability, one of the more innovative approaches taken by the Urban Development Authority over the past few years has been to transform historic old buildings on the verge of collapse into facilities with a new lease of life.

The concept of urban renewal is an important one that has many implications. In terms of developing the city, the improvements being made to the lives of people in underserved and unauthorised settlements are particularly noteworthy. These settlements are mostly on government lands in various parts of Colombo, with many of them being located on reservations set aside around lakes, canals, roadways and railway tracks. The settlements lack basic facilities and sanitation, their living conditions are bad and hygiene is poor. Their quality of life leaves much to be desired. Under the Resettlement of Underserved Settlements Project being undertaken by the Urban Development Authority, some 70,000 families living in poor conditions in Colombo will be given housing in high rise buildings designed and constructed to a good standard. These buildings will come up in close proximity to the original homes of these families, so that they do not need to find different jobs or send their children to different schools. The construction of 10,000 housing units is presently under way, and plans are in place to expand this number by a further 15,000 during the next year.

Keeping the city clean is another key criterion in maintaining urban spaces at a high standard. One of the major problems Sri Lanka faced earlier was that trash collection was not carried out properly and that there were piles of garbage building on various city corners.

The civic consciousness we have about preserving the environment is similarly crucial. People often talk about the importance of retaining greenery and the need to have more trees. Whenever the Government or municipal authorities improve roadways or improve the pavements, a conscious effort is made to plant more trees and improve the greenery. Unfortunately, many of the same people who talk about the need for more greenery are the same ones who put up billboards throughout the city limits. These billboards are eyesores that obscure the greenery of the city and detract from its natural beauty, and this is a problem that needs to be addressed comprehensively.

Another initiative that will help in this regard is the demolition of walls around public buildings, playgrounds and other public areas. Because of the war, a lot of walls were built up in all parts of the city.  These walls kept many of Colombo’s best architectural features hidden, and obscured the abundant natural greenery that is a hallmark of the city. With many of these walls having now been removed, the city now has a much more relaxed and open atmosphere.
By creating and maintaining greener, cleaner cities with more public open spaces for people to enjoy, and by improving the infrastructure available within the urban spaces, I have every confidence that Sri Lanka will be to make full use of its development potential and become one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

I hope that organisations such as the Institute of Environmental Professionals will be able to contribute positively to these efforts by providing much needed input to the on-going public discourse. The Government needs the civil society to step forward with plans and ideas for improvements that can be made as the country goes forward.