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Cause Of Lament Due To The Unpreparedness

Currency Rate

Thursday, November 14, 2013

India Fishing In Troubled Sri Lankan Waters




Date:Nov 13, 2013
Why the long-standing dispute between India and Sri Lanka over fishers crossing maritime boundaries remains unresolved
Many Indian bottom trawlers fish in Sri Lankan waters. These are blamed for damaging marine ecosystem and destroying smaller nets and boats of Sri Lankan fishers (Photo: M.arunprasad)
It's not just the alleged atrocities on Tamils because of which Prime Minister Manmohan apparently skipped the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet (CHOGM) in Colombo that is straining India's relations with Sri Lanka. Indian and Sri Lankan fishers trespassing into each other's territorial waters is another big sore point in the relations between the two nations.    
Last week, two fishers from Tamil Nadu drowned when their boat capsized as they were reportedly being chased by Sri Lankan naval vessels for crossing the international maritime boundary line. Thirty other fishers were arrested in the incident. Last month, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 32 Indian fishers for illegally fishing in their waters. There are similar incidents this side of the marine boundary as well. According to the Sri Lankan ministry of fisheries, around 97 of their fishers are in Indian custody.   
The conflict between Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu over fishers is a long-standing one. In the 1970s, both the countries agreed on a maritime boundary. During the time of civil war in Sri Lanka,  Indian fishers operated freely in Sri Lankan waters, disregarding this boundary. With the end of the civil war, the situation changed and the Sri Lankan fishers returned to the sea to find their fishing grounds encroached.
Bottom trawlers from India pose threat
It is common knowledge that many Indian bottom trawlers fish in Sri Lankan waters. These are commercial fishing vessels that operate by dragging multiple nets through water. There are also allegations that Indian vessels use the kind of fishing net that is banned in Sri Lanka. Bottom trawlers essentially scrape the seabed, disturbing the marine environment. Identified as an internationally banned illegal, unregulated, unreported (IUU) fishing practice, bottom trawling is banned both in India and Sri Lanka. This fishing practice also creates a lot of fish wastage—as high as 30 per cent.
Herman Kumara, secretary general of World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP), says in 2010 when a delegation of Sri Lankan fishers visited Tamil Nadu, the Indian fisher group had agreed to reduce accessing Sri Lankan waters from 130 days a year to 70 days a year. But this was not accepted by the governmentsHerman Kumara, secretary general of World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP), which works with communities dependent on fishing for livelihoods, blames the Indian trawlers for catching a lot of fish and also destroying the smaller nets and boats of Sri Lankan fishers. “We have long used our waters in a sustainable manner but these trawlers do not follow this model,” he says. The Sri Lankan fishers stray into Indian waters allegedly to fish for tuna.
Kumara informs that in 2010, close to 30 people from Sri Lanka went to Tamil Nadu to try and find a solution to this problem. In August 2011, a consensus was reached between the two fisher groups. The Indian fisher group agreed to reduce accessing Sri Lankan waters from 130 days a year to 70 days a year but this was not accepted by the governments, he adds. Nimal Hettiarachchi, director general Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR) of Sri Lanka informs that there is a joint working group with members from both the countries trying to resolve the conflict.
The joint group was to meet every six months but the second meeting has not happened in a long time. Some allege this is because the Indian government has refused to give a date. Some government officials in Tamil Nadu who do not wish to be named inform that most of these trawlers are owned by rich people or those with a political clout, which allows them to operate as they please. “In this situation, where a mafia like situation exists in Tamil Nadu, the small fishers become the victims,” says an official. While some of these small fishers go fishing independently, some are also employed on trawlers. “Owners of these trawlers are the new class of fishers who have flourished because of mechanization,” says V Vivekanandan, secretary of the Fisheries Management Resource Centre in Kerala. “The trawler issue is a complex one and not resolving this is a failure of the Tamil Nadu state,” he adds.           
Chinese intervention
Interestingly, Sri Lanka has now allowed foreign (mostly Chinese) vessels to park in its waters and fish. “These Chinese vessels are big and fitted with modern satellite systems which helps them track fish much better than the traditional fishers. Also, with their advanced equipment they are able to catch more fish,” says Kumara. Such arrangements usually take place under the distant water fishing arrangement that allows a country to fish in another country’s exclusive economic zone for money.
But Sri Lanka has reportedly allowed the Chinese trawlers even beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ); a Chinese company has entered into an agreement with the Sri Lankan Board of Investment for this. Under the agreement, 90 per cent of the catch would be exported to China while the rest will be sold to the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation at US $1/kg fish. But Kumara says this is not the case. “The Chinese trawlers sell their catch in the local market and that too at much lower prices than the local fishers, which further adds to the losses of traditional fisher people.”
Overfishing causing extinction
WFFP fears overfishing. “Overfishing is set to become a big problem for Sri Lanka in the near future. What’s more is that rich people are getting most of this fish catch as they are the ones who have the financial resources to operate high yielding methods unlike the traditional fisherfolk,” adds Kumara.
Overfishing is causing certain species of fish to fall under the threatened or extinct category. For instance, the popular edible fish Kelawalla (yellow-fin tuna) is now a near threatened species in the country because of overfishing, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Tuna accounts for over 40 per cent of Sri Lanka’s total fish catch and about 50 per cent of marine fish catch. Last year in November, Greenpeace also warned of tuna overfishing in the Indian Ocean and called for monitoring.
The Sri Lankan Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development (MoFARD) says that population growth in the country and the lack of alternative income generating opportunities has led to immense pressure on coastal resources. The fisheries development programme of the government says that overexploitation of fisheries at the very least means lower returns and at worst leads to elimination of a biological species. The ministry says that it is certain kinds of harmful fishing methods that are responsible for this overfishing problem (see 'Harmful fishing methods').
Hettiarachchi acknowledges that overfishing is becoming a problem in certain areas. “We know this is an issue in some places and we are trying to ban certain fishing methods being used which are harmful. This is mainly because of increased demand from hotels and restaurants.” But he contradicts himself by saying that the traditional fishing methods are keeping the fish catch lower than potential in the country. DFAR is trying to promote fish production and fish export by introducing modern technology.
Fishing in Sri Lanka is a family activity by tradition. MoFARD attributes this to low education levels, lack of alternative livelihoods and high independent income. Fish is also the cheapest source of protein for people in Sri Lanka. The department is aiming to increase the per capita consumption of fish from 11kg per person to 22kg per person, keeping in mind the malnutrition levels in the country. It accounted for 1.8 per cent of GDP in 2012 (SLR 134,967 million). The coastal fish production in the country stands at 590,766 MT in 2013 according to DFAR, which is more than an 85 per cent rise from the 2010 levels.
Arjan Rajasuriya of IUCN tries to put this in perspective, “Thresher shark have almost vanished as have some other very important species mainly due to an increased demand and wrong fishing methods. The government needs to give this a serious thought.” The government is allowing even foreign vessels to fish in its waters, further aggravating the problem of overfishing. There is a need to provide better market access and prices to the local fishermen with a view to gradually improve their socio-economic conditions, he adds.

Author(s): Sugandh Juneja Description: http://www.downtoearth.org.in/themes/DTE/images/twitter_author.png@sugandh84 

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Weather Data Report In Sri Lanka

Weather Data / කාලගුණ දත්ත /
வானிலை அறிக்கை
2013.10.17 -2030hrs/පැය





City
නගරය
நகரங்கள்

resent Weather
පවත්නා කාලගුණය
தற்போதயவானிலை

Rain fall
(mm)
From 0830

Temp.
(C)


RH
(%)






Anuradhapura /අනුරාධපුරය /அனுராதபுரம்

Thunder Showers / ගිගිරුමි වැසි / இடியுடன் கூடிய மழை

48.1 23.5 95

Badulla / බදුල්ල / பதுளை
Thunder Showers / ගිගිරුමි වැසි / இடியுடன் கூடிய மழை
9.6 21.0 95

Bandarawela / බණ්ඩාරවෙල / பண்டாரவளை
Mist / මීදුම / மறைபனி
2.3 18.6 95

Batticaloa / මඩකලපුව / மட்டக்களப்பு
Fair Weather / වැසි රහිත කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
0 28.6 80

Colombo / කොළඹ / கொழும்பு
Thunder Showers / ගිගිරුමි වැසි / இடியுடன் கூடிய மழை
2.1 26.8 90

Galle / ගාල්ල / காலி
Fair Weather / වැසි රහිත කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை 0.1 27.2 90

Hambantota / හම්බන්තොට / அம்பாந்தோட்டை
Fair Weather / වැසි රහිත කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை

0 26.8 85

Jaffna / යාපනය / யாழ்ப்பாணம்
Fair Weather / වැසි රහිත කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
0+ 21.8 85

Katugastota / කටුගස්තොට / கட்டுகஸ்தோட்டை
Thunder Showers / ගිගිරුමි වැසි / இடியுடன் கூடிய மழை

35.0 22.2 95

Katunayaka / කටුනායක / கட்டுநாயக்கா
Showers / වැසි / மழை
6.3
25.4 95

Kurunegala / කුරුණැගල / குருநாகலை
Lightning / විදුලි කෙටීමි / மின்னல்
9.2 23.6 95

Maha Iluppallama / මහඉලුප්පල්ලම / மஹாயிலுப்பள்ளம
Thunder Showers / ගිගිරුමි වැසි / இடியுடன் கூடிய மழை
87.4 23.2 95

Mannar / මන්නාරම / மன்னார்
Fair Weather / වැසි රහිත කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
0 27.2 90

Nuwara-Eliya / නුවර එළිය / நுவரெலியா
Showers / වැසි / மழை
40.8 15.0 95

Puttalam / පුත්තලම / புத்தளம்
Showers / වැසි / மழை
18.2 24.6 95

Pottuvil / පොතුවිල් / பொத்துவில்
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை 0 27.2 80

Ratmalana / රත්මලාන / இரத்மலானை
Showers / වැසි / மழை
1.5 27.3 85

Ratnapura / රත්නපුර / இரத்தினபுரி
Showers / වැසි / மழை


0.6 24.3 95

Trincomalee / ත්රීකුණාමලය / திருகோணமலை
Fair Weather / වැසි රහිත කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை

0 27.5 85

Vavuniya / වව්නියාව / வவுனியா
Fair Weather / වැසි රහිත කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
23.3 24.4 95

Polonnaruwa / පොලොන්නරුව / பொலன்னறுவை
Showers / වැසි / மழை
0+ 24.6 80

Monaragala / මොණරාගල / மொனராகலை
Lightning / විදුලි කෙටීමි / மின்னல்
4.1 24.4 85

Maththala / මත්තල / மத்தள
Fair Weather / වැසි රහිත කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை

29.7 24.2 95


Source:

http://www.meteo.gov.lk/





Monday, September 16, 2013

Man Maid Disaster In Sri Lanka



‘LET’S JOIN THE STRUGGLE FOR WATER’


On August 01st the State Army took the lives of three youngsters who voiced for their right for water. There were many others who got injured in this clash and hospitalized. Lack of water was the protest of those people from twenty five villages including those from the village of Rathupaswala. The Government Army used brutal force to suppress the peoples protest. 
We met people from Rathupaswala village who spoke of the current situation and its many causes.
All this started in 1992. We saw this disaster at that time. We complained to the authorities and made them aware of the situation. I filed a case. The Environmental Authority was adamant to keep silent. It was proved at the case that the water is unclean and cannot be used, however, everything turned to our disadvantage. I have four acres of paddy. I couldn’t get into the field. My legs got affected by this dirty water. Those who go to the field, died there itself. The story went that it is Mee Una (leptospirosis). Seventeen died and ten became blind. Many others fell ill. Once we bathe we feel faintish and have to sleep. This state did not change. It continued. Once you drink water, your whole body gets totally dry. So we drink more water. Our children complain that they have chest pains. Children go to school with a digene tablet in their hand. We are almost dead now. See my fingers. The finger nails have fallen. Many people suffer in this way. There’s enormous damage that has happened inside our bodies. But we want to save our children”.
“We haven’t got any solution yet. We will fight till a solution is met. It is so impractical the way they lay pipelines. It is only for the four major towns that they have given pipelines. There are twenty five villages when you come inside.  To lay pipelines for those towns they took one month. To give this service to the villages, they will take ages! Enough is enough. We don’t need to pay and get water. We have wells which are older than hundred years.”
Another farmer revealed the following:
“The factory takes water from the springs that give water to the fields. Some of the villagers are supporting that. They get paid for it. We know that some get 50,000 to 60,000 rupees. In one village there are nearly 500 to 1000 families. Only 400 water tanks have been supplied to all the villages. Even the water they provide is not drinkable. Also the quantity of water they supply is insufficient. To don’t wash, we soak a piece of cloth in water and wipe our bodies. Why do we need to suffer like this? We had enough water and we drank enough. These officers, it is they who deprived us of our water. The Sri Lanka Government and those responsible acted as if they are deaf and blind. Next they attacked our people. They killed two school going children and one youth. Why do they treat us like this?”
These stories were very emotional and there were many of them. They were sad for what has happened. We asked them who would take the leadership in this struggle. They said, “all of us are leaders. This not only a common problem, water is our life. So this struggle is between life and death. We need to sacrifice our lives and protect our children. It will take ages for our ground to give us clean water. The earth is now angry with us! This is a holocaust! They have destroyed our lives as well as our children’. They have caused injustice to this earth”.
Another disclosed this story:
“First they brought two water bowsers. Now that doesn’t happen. They don’t go inside the village. Those who  have money pay 100 rupees and get a full tank of water. I saw this. The next tank got only half. Now the water is muddy. We are scared that our children will fall ill. Even in the other village the story is the same. To understand our plight one has to experience this.”
Ven. Siridhamma takes the lead of this burning issue. The villagers have a strong faith on him.
“I live with these villagers. They are quite helpless at this time. We do not want to pay and get water. The officials try to pacify us by giving water for some families in the village.  Our demand is that everyone should get water” says the thero.
“We want the support of all religious leaders. We don’t have anything to do with political parties. But we ask everyone to join us in this struggle to find a solution” he added.
  • We will not pay money for water
  • The factory should be closed down
  • Compensation should be given to those families whose members died or got injured
  • Compensation should be given for the spoilt wells
“The people do not know what to do. They are innocent. Some with their opportunistic political agendas try to make use of this struggle. Many groups are waiting to exploit these people. We are helpless, but we are strong. Please join in our struggle for water”.
            Water is life!
So, what is our duty should be?
The damage caused to one place affects all places.
Today it is Rathupaswala….Tomorrow….?
“I see the suffering of my people in Egypt (villages around Weliweriya)” said Lord (Exodus 3:7 )
Let’s face this plight and be active!
It is the Christian responsibility .                                                 Note by Sr. Deepa Fernando






Sea Erosion In Sri Lanka


          This is the Golden beach of Unawatuna in Sri Lanka. This beautiful beach is eroding severely because of the poor coastal environment management.










Thursday, September 12, 2013

Weather Data of Sri Lanka

Weather Data / කාලගුණ දත්ත /
வானிலை அறிக்கை
2013.09.13 -08.30hrs/පැය





City
නගරය
நகரங்கள்

Present Weather
පවත්නා කාලගුණය
தற்போதயவானிலை

Rain fall
(mm)
From 0830

Temp.
(C)


RH
(%)






Anuradhapura /අනුරාධපුරය /அனுராதபுரம்
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
2.6 27.0 80

Badulla / බදුල්ල / பதுளை
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
2.5 22.8 85

Bandarawela / බණ්ඩාරවෙල / பண்டாரவளை
Showers / වැසි / மழை
3.0 21.3 80

Batticaloa / මඩකලපුව / மட்டக்களப்பு
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
5.0 28.7 75

Colombo / කොළඹ / கொழும்பு
Showers / වැසි / மழை
30.6 25.2 95

Galle / ගාල්ල / காலி
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
4.5 29.8 85

Hambantota / හම්බන්තොට / அம்பாந்தோட்டை
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
13.7 27.1 90

Jaffna / යාපනය / யாழ்ப்பாணம்
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
0 28.8 80

Katugastota / කටුගස්තොට / கட்டுகஸ்தோட்டை
Showers / වැසි / மழை
58.0 23.4 90

Katunayaka / කටුනායක / கட்டுநாயக்கா
Showers / වැසි / மழை
114.4 26.6 95

Kurunegala / කුරුණැගල / குருநாகலை
Rain / වැසි / மழை
68.7 24.3 95

Maha Iluppallama / මහඉලුප්පල්ලම / மஹாயிலுப்பள்ளம
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
6.5 26.6 85

Mannar / මන්නාරම / மன்னார்
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
0 28.1 85

Nuwara-Eliya / නුවර එළිය / நுவரெலியா
Showers / වැසි / மழை
18.9 14.7 95

Puttalam / පුත්තලම / புத்தளம்
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
5.9 27.5 85

Pottuvil / පොතුවිල් / பொத்துவில்
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
0.1 29.0 70

Ratmalana / රත්මලාන / இரத்மலானை
Showers / වැසි / மழை
16.8 25.8 90

Ratnapura / රත්නපුර / இரத்தினபுரி
Showers / වැසි / மழை
35.0 25.0 95

Trincomalee / ත්රීකුණාමලය / திருகோணமலை
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
0+ 27.4 75

Vavuniya / වව්නියාව / வவுனியா
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
0 26.5 90

Polonnaruwa / පොලොන්නරුව / பொலன்னறுவை
Showers / වැසි / மழை
0.8 29.0 65

Monaragala / මොණරාගල / மொனராகலை
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
0+ 27.0 75

Maththala / මත්තල / மத்தள
Fair Weather / යහපත් කාලගුණයක් / சீரான காலநிலை
3.5 27.5 85


Source By : http://www.meteo.gov.lk/