EIA Report On The Environmental Impact Of The Colombo Port City
By Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda –January 5, 2016
Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda
A representative group of over hundred people are submitting their responses to the Director General of the Coast Conservation and Coastal Management Department at Maligawatta on the 6th of January. A period of 30 days was given to the general public to submit their comments on the EIA report on the Colombo Port City. If the authorities were genuinely interested in obtaining public opinion on the assessment, they should have been sensitive to two important realities.
Firstly, an important of document of such nature should have been presented to the general public in a simple language with limited technological and scientific jargon because those directly affected by the project are ordinary citizens of this country and would not be qualified to understand it in technical and scientific language. It is to be regretted that the Coast Conservation and Coastal Management Department has been so insensitive to the above fact.
Secondly, the call for such exercise should not have been called during the month of December. It is simply due to the reason that many who live in the coastal areas, who are deeply affected by the Colombo Port City project, celebrate one of their most important and most popular feasts of their Faith. It is impractical and insensitive to expect from a community to read and understand 400 page document containing so many technological data, maps and diagrams when they are deeply engaged in such a religious and cultural event.
It should be emphasized therefore, the concerned authorities should have published the EIA report either well in advance of the festive season or thereafter. This makes us wonder whether the government was really sincere and serious in receiving the public opinion or was it an attempt made merely to hoodwink the people.
Therefore it is with much regret that people respond to the call of the government for comments on the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) report on the proposed Colombo Port City.
