Sri Lanka’s ‘Pentagon’: Destined to remain forever unfinished?
A reader writes about public funds squandered to build a gigantic military complex in Pelawatte-Akuregoda after the Megapolis Ministry revealed last week that the project would cost a further Rs 100 billion to complete and has been suspended
I am compelled everyday to pass through these ghastly, ghostly, grey structures at Akuregoda that seem destined to remain forever unfinished. A sad waste of public funds squandered callously and arrogantly, to build these idiotic structures, and now disowned by all.
The irony is that a magnificent hotel with 500 rooms and 41 apartments now stands on the land that was sold in 2011, in Colombo Fort opposite Galle Face, which previously housed the Defence Headquarters. What do we learn from this?
The land at Galle Face was sold for $125 million which converts to Rs. 19 billion. In 2011 the government obtained parliamentary approval for Rs. 20 billion for the project to be completed by 2013. It is reported that the project was launched at an estimated cost of Rs. 8 billion (another report says stage 1 was estimated at Rs.40 billion!) but Rs. 64 billion has already been spent (56 billion in excess). While another Rs.100 billion is needed to complete the building!
In the meantime, we are told that the forces have been accommodated in 15 rented buildings at an annual cost of Rs.5 billion.
This means the Treasury pays up Rs. 416 million a month for rent since 2012? Rs. 30 billion so far? Has poorly researched and unbelievable information been disseminated to us by the government and the media? Or can all of this really be true?
Firstly, all of us who have built houses know that the first thing you do is, get a Quantity Surveyor to prepare a BOQ based on the plan. So it is obvious that the estimated cost of Rs.8 billion (if correct) was based on this.
Does it make any sense that the cost can escalate 20 times the estimated amount, by Rs. 156 billion? Who prepared this BOQ? What was the actual plan and cost for housing the forces until completion? Was it a good idea to hand over the construction to the tri forces instead of a reputable construction company with a contract connected to the final cost for completion? Simple, but pertinent questions.
It is very important that the Treasury, The Central Bank and the Minister of Finance release to the public the BOQ and exact expenditure so far, the current status and the plan for completion. Can the editors of all newspapers request for this very important information first, please?
Jomo Uduman
Etul-Kotte
Bribes for garbage collection
It was around 8 am Thursday, when I got stuck in traffic, and happened to see a garbage cart (with quite a lot of bags containing trash surrounding it) parked in front of a lane - there wasn’t a name board for the lane- right next to the Kollupitiya Police Station, and two garbage collectors emptying these bags into this cart. I saw three ladies, taking turns, handing over their plastic shopping bags with garbage, and all three of them giving money to the garbage collectors within the precincts of the Kollupitiya Police Station. The long arm of the law was walking past this spot at the same time?
My office colleagues tell me that collectors of garbage for money would take garbage even if it is not segregated as biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, for a payment, although they are not supposed to accept non-segregated waste. Therefore, please pay these garbage collectors a substantial salary so that they do not become dependent on bribes.
Over to the Mayoress to put an end to this ‘garbage’ bribery!
Mohamed Zahran
Colombo 3
High rise buildings and the overall negative impact
There is a boom in the construction industry in the country, at present, and quite a large number of multi-storied buildings are coming up overnight all over the place, within as well as outside the city.
Even in small wattes (gardens) one can see single houses with a floor space of less than a perch being converted into houses with upstairs, violating the legal requirement of minimum floor area of 5 perches (or is it 6? ) required to put up additional floors.
Sometimes, in some narrow lanes the balconies of some houses have been put up so close that one can just leap from one house to the opposite house.
Has the government, when granting approval to carry out extensions to houses both horizontally and vertically, taken into consideration the impact it would have when it comes to:
1. Supply of Electricity
2. Water supply
3. Sewerage disposal
4. Garbage disposal
5. Transport and traffic jam
6. Privacy
7. Other implications such as, environment pollution due to overcrowding and lack of ventilation?
Can State institutions such as the CMC, the CEB, NWSDB, etc provide the services expected of them with the exponential growth in the construction of housing and other buildings?
Mohamed Zahran
Colombo 14
For the attention of the Irrigation Department Official
For the past three consecutive years, the residents of No: 626 Avissawela Road, Kaduwela (Silver Gate) have had to face severe hardship, financial loss, pain of mind and disruption to their daily lives, with the onset of the rain, as the river bund surrounding their homes overflows from the Kelaniya River, thereby causing their homes to go under water.
Politicians and other Government Officials since 2016, have visited the area and promised to raise this bund, to provide a solution, but nothing has been done, while the residents and those in the neighbourhood (Wele Handiya) live in constant fear when it rains during this season (May).
Their homes were submerged under water in 2016, along with their household items, and they were compelled to find alternate accommodation for almost 3 months, until their damaged homes were repaired incurring much expense, and loss of household articles.
In 2017, the politician who visited the scene on the very 1st day of the flood promised to raise the bund, and efforts were made to commence work immediately, but nothing materialized except the start, which ended in sudden stoppage of work.
At present too, under the prevailing floods, the area has gone under water, and the residents face immense hardship, moving from place to place.
There are young families with little children who are compelled to miss school, causing their daily activities to be disrupted.
The residents therefore appeal to the officials concerned to find a permanent and quick solution to overcome this never ending crisis.
It is suggested for these officials to get the advice of the Grama Niladari of the area, who is well aware and has good knowledge on how this could be got over, along with the Kaduwela Municipal Council authorities.
Duleep Casie Chetty