Deduru River (Oya) sighs at the door of a silent death

ba8105ffcbf1e654523b3092c0b2fd33_XLthe spring, clouds were flying over the blue sky off to the stretches of paddy fields. Deer were feeding on grass calmly over the river banks. Meewana, Loral, Viburnum and Milder which are naturally grown wild plants with its flowers were fascinating all.
Even in the winter, it was same as in the spring. Herds of birds were feeding on wild fruits of trees where were edged to the river banks, dried and highlighted with dew drops. Their chirping was breaking the silence. Streams jumped off to the down from the mountains, seeing the beauty of the stretches of lands. Fishes were playing, jumping off to the sky whom grabbed by the sharp peaks of kingfishers. Children were exciting in the happiness, chasing after butterflies who were kissing on the flowers. At the time went on calmly, and everything was changed suddenly.

Environmentalist Rachel Carson illustrates in her words the tragedy of the biosphere and how it is being destroyed by the capital of companies.

She elaborates moreover this vicious atmosphere in her book ”Silent Spring” which was written in 1962.

Everything was changed as the time went on,

Birds, butterflies….Where are them? Everybody was nervous and curiously looking for them. Lands were devastated and abandoned. A few birds rarely can be seen, seemingly were very weak.They just lived, and were covered by their broken wings, which were waiting the death in the silence. Chirping little birds never could be seen in their nests. Wild flowers, plants, singing of bees and colors of butterflies are being disappeared. Fishes were dying in the water itself.Entire area was covered by the silence. People who were big and small, affected by the unknown epidemics. Even if trees were flowering, but never had fruits as bees were not to transform stamen. Deer did not appear anymore in their grass lands. It was just like, whole area was covered by a curse.”

Most parts of the world have already experienced this situation by today, as Rachel Carson explained. We say you just to look at the Deduru Oya (River).

Deduru Oya kisses upon the shore in Chilaw, running to down over four districts, blowing off the burning thirsty of the millions of people there.

She claims to the greatest Kubuk tree cover in Sri Lanka in the mean time washed up whole North Western province, but being covered by a vicious curse by today.

What is it???

With the dawn of the green revolution in 1950, investigations were carried out for finding an alternative medium instead of soil for planting.Thereby in 1953, Norwegians found a kind of mineral called (Peat). With this finding, the layer of dried leaves cover which spread over the surface of forests in Europe was completely plundered by this company. According to the agreement of ”Peat Moss Lant” that humus layer in the environmental sensitive Zones of Europe, was the source of the capital of this company. ”With this greedy exploitation, entire environmental friendly bacterias are extinct and thereby will remain only a dead soil in Europe by 2018” scientists warned so. That is what happens now.

At the final phase of the exploitation in Europe, they started to look for another material as coir dust to use instead of humous.

They first headed to India, but were turned out back. After that they moved towards to Sri Lanka, successively firmed their business in 2008 as a BOI company named Jiffy Products Sri Lanka, and associated within the valley of coconut triangle. This multi national company is carrying out their firms over in 42 countries.

They based upon in rural Sri Lanka around Kobeigane and Nikaweratiya, bringing the curse of the death to the valley of Deduru Oya. Coir dust is used as a material to a breeding plants project. it is not used instantly as a medium because of it consists abundantly Potassium, Sodium, and Chloride. Therefore they follow up a way that is too add (Ca(No3)2) into water thereby coir dust washed up and left it to get dry enough to exporting. This company earned 160 billions in only 2014 by exporting coir pellets. Now the river is dying silently while they are earning such big profits.

After the process of coir dust proper to export, all contaminated water with (ca(no3)2) discharges into the river. The ground water body in the valley of river has been already polluted since years, caused this continue shameless activities and thereby is able to see the majority of the people suffers from kinds of illnesses like skin viruses, CKD problems and some children have died in born as a result of consuming this water in their daily life.

As well as being fast growing of Algae in this water cause of less breeding of fishes and already have disappeared by today.

According to the standards of drinking water which approved by WHO and EU, it should consist only less than 50mg amount of Nitrates. China and USA say that it should only 10mg amount of Nitrates.But in the investigation done by CEA, found that it consists 2109.52mg amount of Nitrates in a one liter of water. It’s much enough to understand the damage. Accordingly over last 6 years, the people associated within the valley of Deduru Oya have been drinking this polluted water.

Then whom is able to certify that none is affected by CKDu? It’s likely unbelievable. People around this area once demonstrated against this devastation, was revealed by media while all institutions and persons who should be responsible were in the deaf of hearing. But unfortunately everything was crashed down by the ex governments thugs who supported to this company.

After that they filed a court case against to them. But company was too strong and powerful enough to control even the court. The cause for that was not only the bless of ex government but also a one brother of a officer of this company worked in a advance position of the Attorney General’s department at that time.

When media revealing this case, the company tried to stop and to ban those news by misusing the law. However it does not appear any law action has been taken though 8 court cases have already been filed against the company.

Therefore the company continue of discharging contaminated water (with ca(no3)2 )into the river and farmlands around the area, following up three ways. A one of ways is to discharge polluted water directly into the river. Even now it’s happening during at night and rainy seasons. The other way is to spray this polluted water by vessels on dusty roads which access into the company premises, to get avoid from the dust. Besides, release water into drainage ways without been refined.

Now, this polluted water is being mixed up with not only surface water body but also into ground water body in the area. Accordingly this company releases 600,000 L amount of contaminated water into ground per day even if it is permitted only 200,000 L to be released, following an accepted refinery system. But seemingly the company never considerably cares of these laws.

People are unaware that they have been drinking poisoned water since years. The company is in active whole 24 hours per day earning much profit, and never care of the people and lands whom affected due to this case.

Another way is, spray a highly dangerous chemical called Methyl, which is mostly damaged on the Ozone layer, into containers to avoid of bacteria attacks on coir dust. It is a very dangerous thing and shows obviously that they do not consider of not only the environment but also at least on their worker’s health.

As we know, Iri lake in USA, known as a dead lake as it gathered high amount of Calcium Nitrates. Accordingly nobody can say that Deduru Oya would not face to this fate in the recent future.

It seems that present minister of environment is the president of Mithreepala Sirisena is not completely aware of this case.

Therefore let us take this chance to convey him to this message.

”If the executive power is powered to protect the nature, the valley of Deduru Oya would be rescued from this silent death”

Anyhow finally we called to the chairman of CEA pro. Mervyn Dharmasiri ;

”Q: What are the actions, which have been taken so far, against to this company by CEA?”

”A: We would not interact with this case unless North Western environmental authority gets into an action”

”Q: But CEA has already issued reports regarding this case?”

”A: Yes, our officers visited there. A court case is on regarding this. Now I am busy, you have to call North Western environmental authority”

– Duminda Alahakoon – CENS

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