Dr. Sudath Gunasekara

Part 1

I would like to draw the immediate attention of all-patriotic citizens of this country particularly living in the downhill areas of these Tea plantations and on the lowland areas below the hills that will be affected by earth slips in the hill country and flood in the downstream area that will recur as these hanging houses on these unstable and exposed hills will give way one day,( definitely in the near future) burying them en-masse leading to unprecedented natural disasters not only for the occupants of these pigeon holes but also to all those who live in the downstream areas right round the hill country up to the sea, for no fault of theirs’s.  

Finally, one day it will lead to the complete extinction of all forms of life, both fauna and flora, in this Island due to lack of water and ending up all living forms on this land and finally the curtain will fall on human civilization on this land. Readers of this article should not dismiss this prediction as mere fantasy. It will definitely happen if all Sri Lankan patriotic people don’t get together as one family immediately to stop this wanton destruction done to the entire hill country, jointly by the government, Tamil politicians representing the plantation sector, the Indian government and international agencies and anti -Sri Lankan NGOO.

The loss of physical stability of the central hill country can occur due to the loss of one or a combination of the following factors.

1 Loss of the forest cover due to continuous deforestation

2 land degradation taking place thereafter due to heavy erosion and exposing land to elements of weather

3 disturbances to land due to construction of building either for residence purpose or any other either for residence or industrial or other purposes.

4 constructions of roads and railways lines or any other activity that exposes the earth to the elements of weather

5 Unexpected Tectonic movements

5 Bad land use by the millions of Indian Tamil labor settled all over the hill country on land even going up to 8ooo ft msl.

Therefore I call upon all concerned parties including the government, the patriotic masses and intellectuals who love this country to take immediate action to stop this criminal devastation and take  steps to protect the physical stability of the central highland of this country above 1000 ft msl, which I have named as the HADABIMA of this country, as it functions as the heart of the body Sri Lanka that determines and dictates the survival of the entire life system of this Island by providing the main source for all the rivers in the Island,  that keep the entire life system alive.

Furthermore it is also the sacred land the gods have bestowed on this island nation of the Sinhalese that was blessed thrice by the Lord Buddha as the land where his sublime Dhamma will be preserved for 5000 years to come and also as the country blessed with  the sacred mountain Samanala kanda, sanctified by the Buddha’s sacred foot  print on the top of which, the first ancestor of Man, Adam is also supposed to have   placed his foot, as the legend has it, making it a sacred land for all the three religions in this world and further making it a sacred land for humanity the world over. As such it is the bounden duty not only of all Sri Lankas but also of all devotees of all three main religions the world over to protect it together with the whole hill country, the Geographical HEARTLAND” of this blessed land.

Therefore ,I also call upon the NBRO the main Organization responsible for all programmes to assist a disaster-free built environment in the future in this country , to  take  up this issue immediately with the sleeping government that does not take any action against this type of disastrous  and devastative actions  done by these Tamil politicians , the Indian government and some International agencies who are playing havoc, as it considers the estate Tamil vote is even more important and valuable than the destiny the country and its people whose sovereignty and welfare they have vouched to protect

Pl see the following news item issued by the (NBRO), that should act as The Guardian God of the central hill country who take care of its physical stability.

Sri Lanka’s Central Hills at risk: One-fifth of land prone to landslides

28 October 2023 06:31 am – 5     – 832 A news item Daily Mirror.

One–fifth of Sri Lanka’s total landmass, particularly the areas in the central hills- is prone to landslides according to a study by the National Building Research Organization (NBRO).

According to the NBRO study, around 13,000 square kilometers of lands spread over in Badulla, Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy, Matale, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Kalutara, Galle, Matara and Hambantota- are landslide –prone.

The study has found that incidences and frequency of landslides are growing, and it is common to have such disasters after every rain.

The major causes for the increase in the frequency of landslides are un-planned land use practices and unplanned intensive cultivation, ever increasing non- engineered constructions, construction blocking the waterways, construction in the reservation area of water bodies, deforestation and human intervention.

Another study done Professor in Earth Resources Engineering University of Moratuwa and President of Institute of Geology Sri Lanka Prof. Ranjith Premasiri, major landslides which occurred during the past two decades have claimed thousands of lives, about 175,000 people have been rendered homeless. Besides, damages in multi-millions have been caused to property.

He says Sri Lanka can be divided in to three main climatic zones on the basis of annual rainfall- wet zone (over 3000mm annual rainfall), intermediate zone (2000 to 3000mm), and dry zone (less than 2000mm).

Landslides are very often triggered by continuous rainfall characterized by showers of high intensity that occur for short periods of time. Central hilly area of Sri Lanka experiences rain from two monsoons, North-East and South-West,” he said.

Sudden opening and progressive widening of cracks on sloped surfaces or on the walls of building are signs of landslides. (Kelum Bandara)

My comments

Dr Sudath Gunasekara

10..12.2023

It is in this gloomy backdrop one has to take extremely serious notice of the ongoing largescale, unplanned and uncontrolled political housing construction activities, by The Ministry of Upcountry New Tamil Villages, Estate Infrastructure & Community Development, that is going on in the above-mentioned 10 districts exclusively for the estate Tamil labour force of Indian origin. It is reported that the construction of 14,000 houses all over the hill country and it’s adjoining areas is funded by the Indian government for the benefit of nearly 1. million living on the central hills (which already they call Malayaha) in the plantation sector is nearing completion. (902,000 persons in 2012).

The following housing project in Bogawantalava completed under Indian funding in 2019 clearly shows the wanton destruction and irreparable damage already done to the fragile landscape in the hill country by this type of housing projects coming up all over the hill country and   its neighboring hilly areas extending to 10 districts.

V.K. Vellayan Puram” Housing Scheme Bogawantalawa  from www.smehci.gov.lk

State Ministry of Estate Housing and Community Infrastructure

http://www.smehci.gov.lk › Uncategorized Feb 24, 2019 — Under the Indian government funds, V.K. Vellayan Puram Housing Scheme with the 155 houses constructed at Bidwell Estate in Bogawantalawa. Elevation above sea level. It is at 1514 m =approximately 4600 ft msl.

This is only one out of hundreds of such haphazardly constructed housing schemas all over the 10 districts mentioned above covering around 13,000 square kilometers (1/5^th the area of the country)

 Government official like GAA have no control over these housing projects

When I made inquiries from the GA Nuwara Eliya and the Divisional secretaries they said they were never consulted and they had no say or any authority what so ever on the construction of this type of houses within their divisions. Apparently, they were invited to attend the ceremonies only. Only, later I came to know that all land powers that were formally under the GAA had been transferred to Div Sects by Act. no 58 of 1992 during the Premadasa time. But regarding the construction of these houses in the plantation   areas, I am informed that it is The Ministry of Upcountry New Villages, Estate Infrastructure & Community Development and the local Tamil politicians who organize these housing projects in collaboration with the Indian Embassy in Colombo. Starting from the selection of lands, planning and constructions of buildings and roads and the selection and handing over the houses to the recipients are done under the supervision of the same Ministry.

As it is the government of the country or its administration and the Minister of Lands has no say what so ever in the whole process. Technical advice of agencies like the NBOR is never sought. It so happens that the officials like the GA and divisional Secretaries are invited only for the opening functions. As such it appears as if the government officials like the GA and the Div Secs now have no control over these unplanned and haphazard constructions which have already posed a big threat not only to the physical stability of around 13,000 square kilometers of lands spread over in Badulla, Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy, Matale, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Kalutara, Galle, Matara and Hambantota-that is almost 1/5^th the area of the whole country as stated by the NBRO as landslide –prone areas. What is even more dangerous is the complete collapse of the subject of   land administration by the government that covers ten administrative areas in the south, as if it has been already handed over to the Indian Government. In sum for an outside observer, it appears as if this area is already run as a legitimate part of the Indian subcontinent by the Ministry of Upcountry New Villages, Estate Infrastructure & Community Development that comes under the government of Sri Lanka on behalf of the Indian Government. 

Isn’t it a shame for the Government of Sri Lanka, if there is one, and for all political parties at home, to keep deaf dumb and blind over this irreparable and irreversible devastation being done to mother Lanka by a group of British Indian labourers who were brought in the late 19^th century and left behind destitute when they left the Island din 1948.  for the shake of a dangling goats testicle called the vote” that will never fall in to their plate, as the parable says.

 It is high time that all patriotic citizens of this country wakeup up immediately from their death slumber, as one nation to stop this all-time disaster that is going to befall on the entire life system and the civilization to this country within few decades. The devastation that will follow this hazardous and unscientific construction activities will be million times more destructive than what the British did by removing the forest which was subsequently covered with a carpet of tea bushes that protected the earth to some extent. The degree of devastation then was less as the construction were limited to few factories residential Bungalows for the management of communal line rooms on selected places. The degree e of disturbance done to the physical stability under the present system is thousand time greater. The earlier system was reversible. But not the present system. What is more is the then labourers had no permanent interest as they knew that one day they will go back to their motherland. Today the situation is very much different as they not only have permanent interest to stay but they also dream to make this their permanent homeland and finally make it a Malayanadu, a part of India. sponsored by the expansionist Indian Government.

The subject of land administration in the whole country has to be brought under the central Government Immediately

The effect on land administration in the whole country has to be assessed in this backdrop very seriously with no delay as the government has already lost land administration powers in the Northern and Eastern Provinces long time ago, especially after the implementation of Act no 58 of 1992 and the PA circular 21/92.

Beside this there is also a far more serious threat of life in the downstream area right round the hill country due to continuous floods devastating these areas as frequent earth slips and floods occurring in this area due to the collapse of the physical stability of the central hill country. There is a third danger of all the103 rivers that have their sources on the hills running dry in the long run due to the loss of the physical stability of the central hill country, which I have identified as the geographical heart land (The HADABIMA) of Sri Lanka in 1991 whose physical stability determine and dictate the survival of the entire life system in this country and therefore the civilization of this island as well. The degree of land degradation and the rate of deforestation and the drying up of river flow and the underground water deposits that keep the rivers perennial is alarming and beyond imagination.

Who gave permission and final approval for this type of pigeon hole housing complexes on the hills?

By looking at above housing complexes, the impression I got is that it is a hanging housing nursery built on highly fragile and steep land (over 60% slope) not suitable for any kind of construction. With one earth slip the whole thing will be found in the valley bottom. I wonder who gave permission and final approval for this type of pigeon hole housing complex to be built on such slopy and fragile land.  This land Bogawanthalaava hosing scheme is located at 4600 ft msl if not more. This is part of the central hills of this country that provides the main water source for the whole Island. All 103 main streams of the country have their sources here. The central hill country covering roughly about 1/5 the area of the Island was under thick forest before the colonial British invaders ceded the Island by convention in 1815.

This land above 3500 ft was a strictly forbidden and conserved national reserved forest declared by royal decree. No man was allowed even to enter these forests at that time. There were no human settlements in the whole area above 3000 ft at that time with two exceptions, one at Kotmale, an ancient small village, and the other in Uva Welimanda a settlement found in medieval times as the upstream surge for new irrigable land from the northern dry one began. The ancient Kings preserved this hill country covered by forests as their heart as they knew the value of this region as the main water source for the agricultural civilization thriving in the lowlands around the central hills. The hill country also served as a hide out for royalty at times of distress due to South Indian invasions.

The destruction and the devastation of this national treasure began with the land hungry British ravaging the entire forest cover by felling and burning all the forest converting the whole hill country in to a scorched barren land to find way for their coffee and later tea plantations. When the native Sinhalese refused to labour for the invader, the British brought indentured labour from British South India as slaves who had to walk for South India to the central hill country more than 200 miles to work on these newly opened up plantations. The first batch of these very small slave labour arrived in this country around 1840. Since then, hard life in South India and lucrative job opportunities in this country with subsidies with permission to go back to India annually to deposit their savings and travelling made easy after the construction of the railway connecting Mannar with the central hill country was completed. The Mannar line was built by 1914 to connect Talaimannar on Mannar Island to the Sri Lankan mainland, and the Indian rail network was extended to Dhanush Kodi; Thus, it became an annual pilgrimage type of a joy ride for these laborer s to travel between Sri Lanka and India. Although the trade union people complain of suffering in Sri Lanka it was actually a heaven in Sri Lanka for these jobless underprivileged poor lot in India.

 From the time they were herded here it is true, that they worked hard under difficult conditions and toiled from 6 am to 4 pm to earn their living. But it is not rue to say that the toiled for this country and claim to be residents here for 200 years as they claim under the banner Nam 200” and now claiming a separate administrative division now with the intention of converting it. To a separate part under the Indian Government. The stark truth about their contributing to the growth of this country is this. Considering the economic benefits, they have got from this country they have only found lucrative employment here, what they did not have in India. The subsidy on this 1.2 million had been burden for this county right from the beginning. In reality what they have done was filling the banks of the colonial empire while draining what they earned here to banks in Indi in Sterling pounds and gold. In the past even at present the process hasn’t changed he claim that Hye make a big contribution to earn safe is bushtit Today more the 65 % of income from tea comes from low grown If you subtract what they are provided by the SL government I think they are a big liability from an economic point of view, On the other hand the following negative factors also hold be noted

1 finally the main the political Now look at the number of Minister Ministries and institutions both Govt and Non Govt Othe political bribes like Governors etc

Who will pay the damages for the devastation for the occupants of these pigeon holes when one day they slip down the hills Who will take the responsibility for the huma misery that will follow.

More than that just imagine the environmental devastation that will occur to the hill country when hundreds of this type of pigeon holes constructed on such slopy fragile land over 60% slope at such higher levels in the country. What will happen to those living in villages below who will get buried under this debris for no fault of them. What they enjoy are thousand times more thaw ha the son’s pf the soil the Kandyan who owned these lands Compared to the privilege enjoyed by the what re the benefits the Kandy peasants etc have got, Nothing S They don’t have even mainstay The only dept the Kandyan Peasantry is also closed. No Ministry for Kandyan affairs No dept None in the KPC Report are attended to. But they are the sons of the soil who created the civilization here and protected against 3 colonial powers nearly for 500yeara.

Indian labour on finally other were just indentured clave laborers brought by the British I late 19^th c and early 20^th C whom were never here in 1815 when we handed over the land to them. As such it is incumbents on them to take them back to from where they came and hand over the vacant possession of our land to us. True no one had asked for it.  But the fact remain that they are Indians.  We the Native Sinhalese were the people who had been here for 2600 years as the owners of this land.