Life style

Proposed elevated highway across wetlands provokes uproar

Published

5 years ago

2021/07/11

Environmentalists warn that if the second phase of the proposed Elevated Highway runs across Thalangama Environmental Protection Area, Ramsar Wetland city status of Colombo may be at stake. Residents lament that one of the most residential and peaceful areas of the city will be essentially made unlivable causing irreversible damage to the ecosystem.

by Randima Attygalle

The construction of five new flyovers and the four-lane Elevated Expressway connecting the New Kelani Bridge to Athurugiriya was launched by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa last month. The flyovers and the Elevated Expressway are planned to ease traffic congestion in Colombo, its suburbs and Kandy. The contract for the four-lane Elevated Expressway from the New Kelani Bridge to Athurugiriya entailing a budget of LKR 134.9 billion was awarded to the China Harbour Engineering Corporation (Ltd) to be completed in 36 months.

The 17.3 km long expressway is to be implemented in two phases- Phase 1 from New Kelani Bridge to Rajagiriya and Phase II from Rajagiriya to Athurugiriya. Phase II of the project has created controversy and uproar among environmentalists and the public as it’s to be built over the Ramsar listed Thalangama Environmental Protection Area (TEPA). Out the 10.4 km stretch of the second phase, 3.15 kms of road crosses the Averihena tank and paddy fields which are part of TEPA.

Despite Sri Lanka being a state party to the Ramsar Convention the proposed highway project is a gross violation of the provisions of the charter, charge residents from Thalangama and Averihena. Colombo District has already lost 40% of its wetlands resulting in massive floods and the proposed construction is a double whammy, they point out.

“Already water flows into our gardens when it rains heavily and erection of intrusions such as concrete pillars to accommodate an elevated highway will make things worse,” points out Prithiviraj Perera, a retired professional from the UN International Civil Service and Sri Lanka Public Services Institutions. Being exposed to noise and air pollution 24/7 would affect the quality of life of residents living on either sides of the wetland, whose homes are presently covered by trees and green habitats, Perera says.

Thalangama wetland is one of the few remaining green patches near Colombo. It is also a birds’ paradise and a haven for nature photographers. “It is a picturesque site of scenic beauty which is popular for filming of TV programmes, films and taking of wedding pictures. The area is also popular for jogging, star gazing, bird watching and environmental educational tours,” points out the senior professional who notes that destruction of an internationally recognized Ramsar Wetland will impact directly on the Green Development Principles which are championed by the government under the ‘Vistas of Prosperity’.

He says that the best alternative for the Expressway is to take the route from Makumbura, Kottawa through Ruwanpura and over the existing four lanes in Pannipitiya, right up to Battaramulla, which has already been mooted by several authorities. “This shall cause least damages to residents, housing and sensitive ecosystems with any extra costs of rerouting being financed through the issuance of ‘Green Bonds’ as done in many other countries.”

The second phase of the highway will plough through one of the most residential and peaceful areas of the city and will essentially make the area unlivable lament residents. The proposed route affects the residential property that has been in lawyer Rehan Almeida’s family for at least four generations. “According to the current route, the highway will go right across our property along Kaduwela Road in Battaramulla, completely destroying my home and partially destroying my father’s home. My brother’s house is narrowly missed by a matter of feet and will be rendered uninhabitable. The affect to our property is fatal. No amount of compensation can replace the damage caused. We will essentially lose everything, as we have been advised that the property will not be suitable for residential purposes any longer,” says Alemeida.

Several more houses and a sizeable number of small scale businesses will also be destroyed with absolutely no option to relocate, he says.

By plotting a route through the Thalangama wetlands, the country is also losing an asset which cannot ever be replaced, points out the lawyer who questions the logic of “cutting a peaceful community in half” and exposing residents to all kinds of pollution when an alternative route has been proposed by experts who have studied the impact and consequences of this project.

Almeida also charges that destruction of the environment by a project of this nature is a violation of the directive principles of state policy which are safeguarded under the Constitution. He further says that the solution is not to re-gazette the Thalangama wetlands to allow constructions but to find an alternative. “The task of the government is to safeguard our natural assets, not bulldoze them.”

Many farmers from the area who have been cultivating their ancestral paddy fields for generations lament the irreversible damage the proposed Expressway could cause to the eco system of the area. Most farmers in the area who cultivate traditional rice varieties also fear the threat of flooding if the proposed highway is realized.

It is also learnt that the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) had filed a Writ petition in the Court of Appeal seeking an order preventing the construction of the Elevated Expressway over TEPA. It is also gazetted as an Environmental Protection Area by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA). Despite this, recently the Cabinet approval was given to re-gazette the area enabling the construction of the expressway whilst ‘preserving the environment.’

Director General, CEA, Hemantha Jayasinghe told the Sunday Island that the gazette is now pending observations of the Legal Draftsman’s Department. “Once the Legal Draftsman’s Department reverts with their comments, a careful EIA will be done by the CEA before relevant authorities decide if construction would continue or not along the TEPA,” Jayasinghe said.

To recognize the importance of cities and urban wetlands, Ramsar Convention introduced the Wetland City accreditation scheme in October 2018. It provides an opportunity for cities that value their natural or man-made wetlands to gain international recognition and positive publicity for their conservation efforts. Under this scheme, 18 cities including Colombo have been listed as the first Ramsar Wetland Cities. Colombo is the only Ramsar wetland City in South Asia and the only capital city to be accredited.

“Thus it is important for Sri Lanka to continue to protect the wetlands in Colombo in order to maintain this status. If the second phase of the Elevated Highway is to be built, it will cause significant impact to TEPA, one of the two protected wetlands in the Colombo Ramsar City site. (the other is the Jayawardenepura-Kotte Sanctuary),” points out Prof. Devaka Weerakoon from the Department of Zoology, University of Colombo. Prof. Weerakoon, an authority on wetlands, warns that such a move may result in withdrawal of the Ramsar Wetland city status of Colombo.

“This will be most unfortunate as many agencies worked very hard to achieve this status. Therefore, de-gazetting the EPA and building the road that is currently one of the options being considered, should not be taken as a major achievement but another example of a short-sighted decision taken under the label of development.”

TEPA provides many ecosystem services, especially functioning as a water source for paddy fields that are cultivated under the tank, source of food (freshwater fish), flowers, recreation and associated livelihoods and flood retention especially for highly populated metropolitan Colombo urban area. The proposed route across TEPA will not only spoil the aesthetic beauty and tranquility of the environment but also affect the air quality along the flyway corridor, points out Prof. Weerakoon. “The proposed flyway will have a significant negative impact on the quality of life of the inhabitants who are currently settled along the flyway corridor.”

The need for Phase I of the proposed Elevated Highway is very clear affirms Prof. Weerakoon. “It is quite beneficial to those who enter Colombo through the new Kelani bridge via the Katunayake Expressway en route to Borella, Rajagiriya or Battaramulla where most of the state agencies are located. Commuters have to spend a considerable time on the road due to traffic congestion in Dematagoda, Borella, Rajagiriya and Battaramulla resulting in unnecessary fuel usage and increased emissions. The expressway will provide fast access to these areas and suburban centres such as Pelawatte, Thalawathugoda and Maharagama. Further this will enable a large pool of motorists fast access to the Katunayake Expressway. Therefore the need for Phase 1 is very clear.”

However the controversial Phase 2 cutting across TEPA which will entail a heavy environmental cost needs to be reassessed including a detailed analysis of viable alternatives, maintains Prof. Weerakoon.

Pix credit: C. Kirinde

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Life style

Grace, grooming and confidence

Published

5 days ago

2026/03/29

Thilina Walpola

The leadership team behind the academy at the head table

Ramani Fenando’s new Image and Etiquette Academy

In a world where first impressions speak before words, Sri Lanka’s beauty icon Ramani Fernando has taken a bold step beyond the salon chair to shape confidence from within. Her newly launched Etiquette and Image Academy is designed to refine not only appearance, but presence, poise and personal power.

Step into a space where confidence meets sophistication, Ramani Fernando Academy is redefining how Sri Lankans approach personal branding ,offering a unique blend of ettiquette, style and communication mastery.

Her newly launched personal branding and EtiquetteAcademy was unveiled in a simple ceremony at the Galle Face hotel. This marks a bold and timely step into the realm of confidence leadership, presence and modern social grace.

Colombo’s social elite, corporate leaders, fashion insiders and longtime clients gathered in celebration of a vision that seeks to shape not just appearance but cofidence building.

Ramani, in her opening speech, said “our courses are carefully designed to meet with international standards, ensuring participants recieve training that meets both local and global expectations.

Ramani Fernando – shaping confidence

Professional face of etiquette training

Faith Launders who is the Director of Etiquette and Protocol in the Academy pointed out this personal branding and etiquette programmes will help participants cultivate grace, confidence and refined personal style through expert guidance. A former Miss Sri Lanka beauty queen, with experience in aviation, will contribute a creative and professional lens to the Academy’s curriculam.

Invitees from the world of fashion gathered to celebrate the occasion

Carolyn Jurie

Chalana at the helm of beauty

She brings professionalism, poise and a strong commitment to cultivate confidence and promote refined social skills among students. Known for her approachable style and inspiring presence, she strives to create an inclusive learning space where students can transform into confident individuals to navigate life with dignity and elegance.

For decades, Ramani has been a transformative force in Sri Lanka’s beauty industry.

and now this venture signals a natural evolution from external refinement to the art of personal distinction.

The programme blends traditional etiquette with contemporary relevance, offering personal branding and professional image building both in social and corporate etiquette. These are some of the programmes:

= Communication skills and body language, grooming, style and wardrobe alignment.

= Digital image and social media conduct.

= Platforms or in social events the ability to command attention with confidence has to become an important tool.

In today’s hyper connected world, impressions are formed in seconds often long before a handshake, whether in boardrooms, diplomatic circles or in the media.

The teaching staff consists of industry experts trainers amd adminitrators led by othe senior professionals

The Managing Director, Lakmini Lenagala, Training and Administrative Manager, Ramono, Navaratnarajah, Personal Assistant, Merisha Aserappa and Chalana Munasinghe are all industry professionals who have experience, theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

They are experienced instructors with hands on expertise in grooming, etiquette, image building and communication.

While the vision of the Personal Branding and Etiquette Academy belongs to Ramani Fernando, its strength lies in the collective expertise of the professionals who bring the programmes to life.

By bringing together specialists from diverse fields, the Academy offers participants a rare opportunity to refine every dimension of their public and private persona under one roof.

Sessions cover skin care, hair, make up, wardrobe planning and colour coordination.

Communication and public speaking recognising that presence is also conveyed though voice and expression, the Academy offers training in articulation tones, posture and body language.

The training also includes table manners, event conduct, professional courtesy and cross cultural awareness. This Etiquette Academy us designed for both women and men offering guidance on grooming, communication, professional conduct and social confidence.

The Academy acts as a transformative space – one that equips individuals not merely to succeed but to stand out with authencity and grace. The institution reflects Ramani Fernando’s belief that true elegance is a way of being not simply a way of dressing!.

By Zanita Careem

Pix by Thushara Athapatu

Life style

From rescue to rewilding, Kalo’s journey continues

Published

5 days ago

2026/03/29

Thilina Walpola

World Wildlife Day 2026:

He arrived at the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe on March 23, 2024, barely eight months old. Kalo had spent an unknown number of days trapped at the bottom of an abandoned well near Galenbidunuwewa in Sri Lanka’s Anuradhapura District, separated from the herd he had lost. When wildlife officers from the Department of Wildlife Conservation pulled him out, they found a frightened calf, but also something else: resilience.

Today, nearly two years after his rescue, Kalo is no longer the fragile elephant calf who arrived at the Transit Home alone. He is growing steadily, eating well, and has fully integrated into a group of calves preparing for eventual release. His progress is measured not only in size, but in behaviour like social bonding, herd interaction, and independent foraging skills that will determine his readiness for life beyond human protection. Since his arrival, Kalo has grown from 125 kilograms to over 300 kilograms. The wounds he sustained before rescue have fully healed, and he is no longer on any specific medical treatment instead routine management only. He is, by every measure, active, playful, and thriving.

The Elephant Transit Home, also known as Ath Athuru Sevana, has operated within Udawalawe National Park since 1995. It is not an orphanage in the traditional sense. There are no rides, no performances, no human dependency. Human contact is limited strictly to feeding and veterinary care. The rest of the time, the calves are left to bond with one another.

That philosophy is intentional. Elephants are deeply social animals, and calves that grow too attached to humans struggle to survive in the wild. The daily play, the hierarchy, and the formation of peer bonds are all part of a structured rehabilitation process designed to prepare them for rewilding.

Since its establishment, more than 200 orphaned elephants have passed through the Elephant Transit Home. Over 100 have been successfully released back into the wild. In July 2025 alone, six young elephants were returned to Udawalawe National Park during the facility’s 26th release. If all continues as planned, Kalo will follow that path in 2029.

On May 8, 2024, less than two months after Kalo’s rescue, Sun Siyam Pasikudah formalised its long-term commitment to his care through the CarePhant initiative under Sun Siyam Care. The resort pledged ongoing monthly contributions to support Kalo’s nutrition, veterinary care, and daily rehabilitation needs through to his planned release.

Sun Siyam Care is the group’s overarching sustainability programme that integrates environmental stewardship, biodiversity conservation, community engagement, and long-term socio-economic value creation across all Sun Siyam Resorts in the Maldives and Sri Lanka. Through Sun Siyam Care, we invest in initiatives that protect marine and terrestrial ecosystems, reduce waste and single-use plastics, improve resource efficiency, support renewable energy and local sourcing, and promote awareness and participation among guests and communities alike. Kalo’s journey from rescue to rewilding is one example of how Sun Siyam Care extends beyond hospitality, connecting responsible tourism with meaningful environmental and wildlife conservation impact.

“We are delighted to embark on the CarePhant project and become stewards of Kalo’s well-being. Sri Lanka’s elephants are not just a conservation issue; they are part of the living identity of this island, and we feel a genuine responsibility to play our part in protecting them,” said Arshed Refai, General Manager, Sun Siyam Pasikudah.

For Chaminda Upul Kumara, Sustainability Project Manager at Sun Siyam Resorts, the commitment reflects the deeper purpose of Sun Siyam Care. “Conservation is not a single moment. It is a process that requires patience and consistency. With Kalo, we committed to being part of that journey from rescue to release. Every month of support is an investment in his return to the wild,” said Upul.

In the month that marks World Wildlife Day, observed on 03rd March, Kalo’s story serves as a reminder that conservation is not abstract. It is individual. It is long term. And it depends on partnerships between public institutions and responsible private sector actors. In a landscape where habitat loss and human–elephant conflict continue to threaten Sri Lanka’s wild elephant population, sustained commitments like CarePhant demonstrate how responsible tourism can contribute to tangible, measurable conservation outcomes.

Sun Siyam Pasikudah, which holds Travelife Gold Certification and operates under the broader Sun Siyam Care sustainability framework, integrates conservation, local sourcing, and community engagement into its daily operations. The CarePhant project builds on that foundation by linking responsible hospitality directly to wildlife protection.

Three years from now, in 2029, Kalo is expected to walk beyond the protective boundaries of the Elephant Transit Home and into Udawalawe National Park as a young wild elephant. Every veterinary check, every month of nutritional support, and every bond formed within his herd brings him closer to that moment.

“When Kalo walks back into the forest in 2029, it will mark the completion of a journey that began in crisis but was sustained through commitment,” added Arshed Refai. “We are proud that Sun Siyam Care is part of that long-term promise.”

Until then, Kalo continues doing what young elephants at Ath Athuru Sevana are meant to do: growing, learning, and preparing quietly for a life in the wild.

Life style

Pakistan’s 86th National Day celebrated in Sri Lanka

Published

5 days ago

2026/03/29

Thilina Walpola

The High Commission of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Pakistani community based in Sri Lanka celebrated the 86th National Day of Pakistan with traditional flavour and resolve to make Pakistan a strong, vibrant and progressive democratic welfare state.

The day commemorates a defining moment that led the foundation for the creation of Pakistan.

The ceremony commenced with the raising of their national flag, fluttering proudly against the morning sky, symbolising faith, unity and discipline, the ideals upon which the nation was built. Dignitaries, members of the diplomatic corps, community leaders and guests gathered in silence as the national anthem resonated creating an atmosphere charged with emotion and national pride .

Cultural elegance added a distinctive charm to the occasion, with traditional attire and warm exchanges reflecting the rich heritage of Pakistan. Guests were later invited to partake in light refreshments, providing an opportunity for cordial interacton and celebration.

Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan, Zunaira Latif unfurled the Pakistani flag to the tune of Pakistan’s national anthem in a ceremony held at the Pakistan High Commission

The National Day of Pakistan is celebrated on 23rd March every year in remembrance of the historic 1940 resolution passed in Lahore, calling for a separate homeland for Muslims of the subcontinent that ultimately led to the creation of Pakistan on August 14, 1947.

Special messages by the President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan were readout, in which both the leaders highlighted the importance of the day and paid tributes to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

The Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan in her message on the occasion said that Pakistan and Sri Lanka continue to maintain their traditionally close and mutually beneficial relations, based on mutual respect and trust. She said that the strength of the Pakistan – Sri Lanka relationship lies in diversified engagement in many fields such as trade, defence, science, culture, and education. She also extended sincere greetings and best wishes on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan to the government and people of Sri Lanka.