Opinion
Fertiliser debate nearing conclusion?
To me, the ongoing discourse, stimulated by a reckless decision to ban the import of all non-organic agro-chemicals with “immediate effect” could be considered healthy, Unfortunately, the “Vasa visa nethi krushikarma” folks, on whose advice the President perhaps made this dramatic move, have chosen to remain silent. The issue has now less to do with science and more with political tones.
It is not fair to expect the President to be knowledgeable about every matter that seems to require his stamp of authority, for anything to happen. Rather, also by an unfortunate statement, where he declared that the word of the President is sufficient authority to act, being superior to any “circular”.
Our President reportedly declared at the UN General Assembly in New York, that Sri Lanka aims to be the First Country to go “Totally organic”. Since it is likely that the President’s address would have been composed or at least “vetted” before its delivery It is clear that The President should review the competence of those who accompanied him to New York., or are cozying around him here.
It would also be unwise to seek the advice of prelates in Parliament, Trade Unions, or even Mahanayaka positions, for advice on technical matters, as much as to be advised by agricultural chemists, Pediatricians, or “Professors” of doubteprovenance, on spiritual matters. Is
the 20th Amendment with heavy responsibilities and authoritarian features bestowed on Presidents when in office, the root cause? The whole fertiliser story is now a matter of hurt egos or of political sensitivity, than a purely technical one.
I was stunned the other day to hear our Minister of Agriculture declaring ( in a kind of ‘ repair job’) that the intention of the recent exceptions to the ban, was not a reversal of the “Ban situation,” but only a concession, in a special case. It was to apply, he said ” only to import of “Liquid Nitrogen”, because it was cheaper than other forms of “fertiliser nitrogen”. In conventional chemistry, nitrogen gas becomes liquid at about minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Absolute zero is some minus 293 degrees Fahrenheit and is the lowest Temperature achievable! It is impossible to imagine a paddy farmer in Kahatagasdigiliya or Horowupotana, having facilities to handle “liquid nitrogen”. To be charitable the Minister perhaps had in mind, preparations like “Hyponex”or “Maxicrop”, While being appalled by this degree of understanding in one who is supposed to help in managing our affairs as implied in the word “Deshapalanaya” (meaning roughly as “Managing the nation”), can be entrusted with taking decisions affecting our futures and of those yet to be born. It will be perilous that those so seriously “intellectually challenged” are custodians of our very existence and of those yet to be born!
Dr Upatissa Pethiyagoda
On July 19, 1989, United Airlines Flight 232 departed Denver, Colorado for Chicago, Illinois. The forecast weather was fine. Unfortunately, engine no. 2 – the middle engine in the tail of the three-engined McDonnell Douglas DC 10 – suffered an explosive failure of the fan disk, resulting in all three hydraulic system lines to the aircraft’s control surfaces being severed. This rendered the DC-10 uncontrollable except by the highly unorthodox use of differential thrust on the remaining two serviceable engines mounted on the wings.
Consequently, the aircraft was forced to divert to Sioux City, Iowa to attempt an emergency crash landing. But the crew lost control at the last moment and the airplane crashed. Out of a total of 296 passengers and crew, 185 survived.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) declared after an investigation that besides the skill of the operating crew, one significant factor in the survival rate was that hospitals in proximity to the airport were experiencing a change of shifts and therefore able to co-opt the outgoing and incoming shift workers to take over the additional workload of attending to crash victims.
One wonders what would have happened if an overflying aircraft diverted to MRIA-Mattala, BIA-Colombo, Colombo International Airport Ratmalana (CIAR) or Palaly Airport, KKS during the doctors’ strike in the 24 hours starting March 12, 2025? Would the authorities have been able to cope? International airlines (over a hundred a day) are paying in dollars to overfly and file Sri Lankan airports as en route alternates (diversion airports).
Doctors in hospitals in the vicinity of the above-named international airports cannot be allowed to go on strike, and their services deemed essential. Even scheduled flights to those airports could be involved in an accident, with injured passengers at risk of not receiving prompt medical attention.
The civil aviation regulator in this country seems to be sitting fat, dumb, and happy, as we say in aviation.
Guwan Seeya
Plans to resurrect the Nanu Oya – Nuwara Eliya rail track are welcome. The magnificent views from the train have been described by H W Cave in his book The Ceylon Government Railway (1910):
‘The pass by which Nuwara Eliya is reached is one of the most exquisite things in Ceylon. In traversing its length, the line makes a further ascent of one thousand feet in six miles. The curves and windings necessary to accomplish this are the most intricate on the whole railway and frequently have a radius of only eighty feet. On the right side of the deep mountain gorge we ascend amongst the tea bushes of the Edinburgh estate, and at length emerge upon a road, which the line shares with the cart traffic for about a mile. In the depths of the defile flows the Nanuoya river, foaming amongst huge boulders of rock that have descended from the sides of the mountains, and bordered by tree ferns, innumerable and brilliant trees of the primeval forest which clothe the face of the heights. In this land of no seasons their stages of growth are denoted by the varying tints of scarlet, gold, crimson, sallow green, and most strikingly of all, a rich claret colour, the chief glory of the Keena tree’.
However, as in colonial times, the railway should be available for both tourists and locals so that splendid vista can be enjoyed by all.
Dr R P Fernando
Epsom,
UK
If the people of this country were asked whether they want elections to the local government, majority of them would say no! How many years have elapsed since the local councils became defunct? And did not the country function without these councils that were labelled as ‘white elephants’?
If the present government’s wish is to do the will of the people, they should reconsider having local government elections. This way the government will not only save a considerable amount of money on holding elections, but also save even a greater amount by not having to maintain these local councils, which have become a bane on the country’s economy.
One would hope that the country will be able to get rid of these local councils and revert back to the days of having competent Government Agents and a team of dedicated government officials been tasked with the responsibility of attending to the needs of the people in those areas.
M. Joseph A. Nihal Perera
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