Death of entire tracts of trees; vaccinated amidst confusion

Cass listened thrice to a Facebook video sent toher by a wildlife enthusiast which has Himeshi Weerasiri speaking from her heart; simply, eloquently and transparently sincerely. She addresses the President and continues with ‘you’ but Cass discerns the ‘you’ includes the PM, Ministers and government bureaucrats. Hence if the President listens to what she had to say, (which we hope he will), he must not be angered. Even the highest in the world must listen to the voice of the people and now the young are actively national minded. Proof? The protesting young of Hong Kong, Thailand and Myanmar, and in this land the voices heard on the field, as it were, mostly of those who have no vested interests but are very concerned, nay near outrage, with the degradation that is ongoing, mostly regards the environment and specifically about deforestation.

Himeshi mentions the places that have suffered the worst of the tree fellers onslaught; she explains the importance of eco-systems and says that the present generation is being robbed of a rightful heritage with government distributing forest land so people invade with axe and tractor wild life sanctuaries, even Sinharaja and elephant corridors. She says she may be found on her next visit to SL with a gunshot, laid out in Independence Square bearing a suicide note. However, even consideration of her child cannot stop her appeal for saving the forests of Sri Lanka? “You were elected to protect the land and its people” she boldly reminds the YOU she addresses.

The Island

of Friday 19 February carried this banner headline in eye-grabbing, funereal white against black: “Govt. backed racketeers run riot: 3,000 acres grabbed in Somawathiya National Park within two days.” Horrendous if people just grabbed the land. Here is stated clearly the damning fact that government has backed; i.e. encouraged these peasants in their destruction and will protect them. And what will the grabbed land be used for? Bad enough to grow vegetables and such. Worse if it is for money: sold to resource devouring businessmen. Worst if sold/confiscated to build resorts, hotels or holiday homes for the nouvue rich. The Island Editor’s lead article on Tuesday 23 February was also about this crime of land grabbing.

President speaks

Very surprisingly Cass heard the President voice his opinion on this very subject at a village visit bearing a wonderful Sinhala term which escapes Cass’ bird brain, as reported in MTV news on Saturday 20 February night. He said, (I did not take down notes), that forests are not being cut down or given to villagers. It’s land that was under agriculture that is being given them. Wrong, even then, if trees have grown on such neglected agricultural land. As said earlier, believed strongly by this woman – Cass – who has lived in jungle areas long ago and is of a former generation to whom money is a mere commodity to make living possible and not to be procured at any cost and hoarded, is that forests are being cut down; traditional elephant corridors and their land encroached on. This crime continues unpunished which means government officials do not take note, rather do they facilitate such robbing. So, the young of the country, headed by nature, fauna and flora lovers, will surely raise their voices and be heard.

Vegetables and other consumables, even cereal like kurakkan, maize, can be grown anywhere. Have tress to be cut to clear new land? A helpless biddy like Cass can only curse. But the young are powerful and almost up in arms. So grabbers, promoters and even politicians BEWARE! You cannot rob all the land all the time. Retribution will surely come to you.

Vaccination

Cassandra was right in her tremulously stated fear that the older citizen will be considered expendable and be given the vaccine last of all, totally contrary to what the WHO advocates and Britain and US, among other countries, have stuck to. We oldies are in no great hurry; we will stay locked down; but we cannot bear unfairness. Give vaccination to private hospital workers and tourist hotel servers but do not forget the older citizen. WHO’s maxim in vaccinating is reduction in deaths; ours seems to be ensuring the economy is set going by vaccinating those in service, MPs included. It’s the economy and VIPs first and last, Stupid!

Please read, or re-read if you have already done so, Dr H T Wickramasinghe’s short article in The Island of Monday 2 February: “Success of vaccination drive hinges on inoculation of the elderly“. He is Consultant Paediatrician plus President, Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Forum of SL. What he clearly wrote gave Cass the justification to write the above.

Haywire in spite of Task Force

Telephones are abuzz with questions such as “Did you get the vaccination?” “How does one apply?” Cass was completely flummoxed as to how to get the shot or how to obtain a token. Then manna descended, shed by a concerned niece. She had got a token for three but had already got the vaccination, so she very kindly drove Cass to Chitra Lane. Cass requested an obliging three-wheeler man to stand by and so her domestic and she got into a sort of a queue. Mercifully a few schoolmates were already there so yours truly felt at ease. The number on Cass’ token was 208 so it meant sitting in three wheelers and on steps and leaning against posts and cars. She had already sat on a bucket kindly overturned and given her by a wayside repairer. Cass and others waited in a crowd – no safe distancing at all – from 8 am to 1.30 pm, with a quick three-wheeler drive home. Offers were extended by another niece to stay at her place until the queue got shorter. Not Cass to leave the hot spot and miss her vaccination!

It was all somewhat disorganized, as the entire process of vaccination is. A friend got hers done at the Public Library where vaccinations were for CMC workers! But Cass found that within the premises of the Public Health Maternity Home in Chitra Lane everything was orderly. The crowd gathered queued up dutifully; however, vigilant enough to shout at some being let in through a side gate.

Once you got in, the process went smooth with precision and absolute politeness. After noting details, people were ushered into the vaccination room with about five stations, all manned by nurses. They were extremely kind and gave directions for after care to each and every one individually. After 20 minutes of sitting outside, Cass returned home so very thankful she had got the Oxford vaccine, courtesy of the government, totally free and kindly given.

When bunched outside, fake news floated: only those below 65 will be vaccinated that day being the loudest. But Cass decided to take the chance, since she had heard that once you enter the vaccination room proper, all are given the shot. It was gratitude to the health workers who untiringly went on with their work, showing much patience.

Sad tale

Phoned the very decent three-wheeler driver Cass usually summons to take her on an errand or get a chore done. He says his three-wheeler has been taken by the Police. Reason: he had it painted a different colour. I was shocked when five days later he says the vehicle is still with the police pending its being sent to the RMV.

“They said they can’t believe the wheeler is 30 years old and so suspecting me, they took the vehicle. How am I and my family to live?” he wailed. Asked another driver who said the colour of a vehicle cannot be changed without informing the RMV. OK. But was that a known stricture? And why on earth the delay? The vehicle taken into police custody more than six days previous has still not been sent to the RMV. This innocent man does not know what next to do. He and his family are being slammed in the stomach, while the rich and mighty rape forests and cheat in every possible way – and get off scot free!!

Is this our beloved Sri Lanka –our Matha under whom all of us should be equally treated?k