ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN SRI LANKA

Since this is my first report to the Tunza Eco Generation, I start the discussion with a description about my country and its environmental issues. Sri Lanka is an island with 65610 km2 which is situated in the south Asian region. It is a tropical country which closes to the equator. Sri Lanka has the highest biodiversity among the Asian region. As well as it is identified as one of the 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world. Sri Lanka has a wide range of topographic and climatic variations and this contributes to the high biodiversity in the country.

With the industrial revolution and rapid development of industries, the value of environment has been declined among the people since the lack of awareness about it. When we compare the past and current situation of natural environment in Sri Lanka, we can see a huge difference in it. There is a rapid destruction of the natural environment in past few decades. People engage in deforestation, soil and mineral extraction, animal hunting, waste discharge, air emission and water pollution without concerning about the harmful effects of them. These harmful activities currently affected to the society with serious social issues. Dengue, Chronic kidney disease, Landslides, floods Waste Mountains are some of the deadly problems arise with human behavior.

In the past year, hundreds of people were killed with the Dengue menace as a result of peoples' misbehavior in waste discharge. Dengue is a deadly disease which is spread through a mosquito. I believe that there should be a systemized programme to eliminate this disease with the participation of government and the entire private and government institutes in Sri Lanka. As well as, chronic kidney disease which is spread in the Northern Province in Sri Lanka is a result of toxic pesticides and weedicides usage in agriculture. Currently lot of people in that area suffering from the CKD and their families are in a sorrowful situation. People in that area do not have clean water which is not including toxics with it. Lot of private and government institutes have engaged in distributing clean water to this poor people now. Lots of peoples' lives and their property will destroy from floods, landslides and other natural disasters in every year. In last year, 30 people had to loss their lives, since the unsystematic waste disposal in the country. I believe each and every person in the country has the responsibility of keeping the country clean and beautiful.

After lot of conflicts with the environment, it's a great pleasure to see that people in Sri Lanka has been started to think about the environment and its' conservation.