Could the new Mayoress revive the iconic Beira Lake?

The Beira Lake is considered a colonial masterpiece built by the Portuguese in the 16th Century. It is also one of the most iconic landmarks in Colombo. This lake was constructed to serve as a moat to protect the city from invaders and for transport of weapons and goods. With Colombo being recognised as a garden city, it is essential to maintain the green environs around the city. But over the years, as domestic settlements around this iconic lake were replaced with high rises, the Beira Lake was transformed into a sewage pit of sorts. Today the unbearable stench in its proximity has inconvenienced the public to a greater extent. But this stench is nothing new to residents living near the Beira Lake and numerous inspection visits by former Mayors, Mayoresses and Mayoral candidates have proved futile. The new Mayoress also made several inspection visits to the Beira Lake but the matter remains unsolved. It is high time that the Colombo Municipal Council take matters into hand to truly investigate the origins of this stench and the extent to which this once iconic landmark has become polluted over the years. Sri Lanka could easily draw inspiration from cities such as Tokyo where authorities go to great lengths to keep their waterways clean. 

A concerned citizen