Sri Lanka It's Happening

March 4, 2004

2003 was the year of floods. 2004 is the year of droughts. They both have a common cause. The forests and wetlands that used to cover large parts of the country used to absorb quite a lot of water when it rained heavily. Most of them have sadly disappeared over the last few years.

All the wet lands around colombo have virtually disapeared along with many of the magnificant trees that used to line the streets. Three successive governments have worked very hard to eliminate them.

The slightest shower and many parts of Colombo resemble the polluted beira lake at it's center.

The forests that used to cover the hill country have also disappeared once again politians of all colors worked together very hard to achieve this goal. How? by allocating government land to all and sundry, and asking the police to turn a blind eye on enchroachers.