tragedy!

Colombo’s tree damage sparks cable relocation talks

• Most trees are damaged by pipelines, electricity and telephone cables  which are laid underground
• We cannot remove the trees by the roads because they are  needed to ensure clean air in the city environment

By Yohan Perera  

Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) is to discuss relocating of  cables and pipelines in Colombo city with relevant institutions, a  senior officer from the Municipal Council said yesterday.  

“We cannot remove the trees by the roads because they are  needed to ensure clean air in the city environment. We intend to have a  dialogue with Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Water Supply and  Drainage Board and Sri Lanka Telecom,” CMC Director Engineering K.  Ramesh said.  

Mr. Ramesh said almost all trees which stand by the roads  in Colombo are damaged by pipelines, electricity and telephone cables  which are laid underground.  

“Roots of the tree which fell on a bus in Kollupitiya were  also damaged by the underground power cables. This is the case with  regard to almost all trees that stand by the roads in Colombo. Sri  Lanka Telecom, Electricity Board and Water Resources and Drainage Board  dig the roads and lay cables and pipelines underground. This is a  frequent eventuality. These cables and pipelines prevent the roots from  moving deeply into the earth. Therefore, the trees in Colombo city by the  roads are not firmly rooted to the ground,” he said.  

“Roots are often damaged by the cables as well,” he added.  

“We have received so many complaints from the residents in  Colombo city, and we will attend to these as soon as possible,” he also  said. CMC also cut branches of large trees from time to time according  to its officers.   

Root damage nightmare in Colombo    

• Laying underground cables damaged the roots of trees  
• SLTB to provide Rs. 500,000 in cash each
• Remove trees on both sides of roads at risk of falling- Minister Premitha Bandara 

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama  

The underground installation of cables in Colombo had  damaged the roots of the city’s trees, which has caused them to fall,  particularly in the wake of adverse weather conditions, Colombo  Municipal Council (CMC) Lands and Environment Development Division  Director -Engineering K. Ramesh said.  

Commenting on the tree that had fallen on a moving Sri  Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus yesterday, he said the tree was in good  condition and the CMC used to trim the branches of the tree recently.  
No complaints were received about the dangers of the tree.   

Five people were killed and another five, including three  females, were injured after a tree collapsed on a bus travelling to  Matugama from Colombo yesterday morning, police said.  

Hospital sources have confirmed that the victims who lost  their lives were all males, while the five injured passengers are  currently receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital.  
According to the police, the tragic incident occurred approximately 100 metres from the Liberty Roundabout on Duplication Road.  

Western Province Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon told the  media that police had launched an investigation regarding the incident.  However, a decision will be taken after identifying the  trees in Colombo City, which would be a threat to the city, with the  support of the environment police and the Colombo Municipal Council  (CMC). This incident was reported to the police at 5.50 a.m. yesterday.  
“Soon after the incident was reported, the CMC fire brigade  unit, CMC employees, Sri Lanka Police and Army officials, and the  people in the area at that time rushed the injured persons to the  hospital and provided support to clear the road and restore traffic,”  the Senior DIG said.  

Transport State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna, who visited  the Colombo National Hospital to inquire about the patients, had  instructed the hospital authority to provide the facilities they needed  for a speedy recovery.  
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) Chairman Lalith  de Alvis said the bus left for Colombo from Deniyaya at 1.30 a.m. The bus had left the Colombo Central bus stand at 5.45 a.m. to go to  Matugama.   
He said the accident occurred 20 minutes after the bus left the Colombo bus stand.  
Meanwhile, Secretary to the President has instructed the  SLTB to provide a cash donation of Rs. 500,000 to the families of the  deceased persons to make their funeral arrangements.  

“The driver and the conductor of the bus had taken to the  Kollupitiya Police to record statements. Only 17 passengers were in the  bus at the time of the accident, and 14 of them sustained minor  injuries,” he said.  
According to the hospital sources, the victims were  identified as Aruna Tiran Fernando (24) from Welisara, M.S.G. Rathnayaka  (31) from Matale, S. Priyangana (34) and G.A.A. Chaturanga (35) from  Ahangama. Details of one victim were not revealed yet.  

All passengers in the bus will be granted their claims from  the insurance company where the bus was fully insured, the SLTB  chairman said.  

State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon had  instructed the relevant officials to take immediate measures to prevent  any damages and to remove the trees on both sides of the roads that are  at risk of falling.  
“Necessary measures will be taken in coordination with the  officials of the Environment Authority, Road Development Authority, and  relevant local authorities to immediately inspect large trees that are  at risk of falling on the sides of the roads due to the current rainy  weather,” the Minister said.  

Meanwhile, instructions have been given to the officials of  the Disaster Management Centre and the National Building Research  Organisation (NBRO) to remove everything that may pose any threats to  the public.  
He said that several trees have been falling for the last  few days due to the adverse weather, and five people were killed in the  latest tragedy, including in Kollupitiya yesterday after a tree fell on  a moving passenger bus.       

one dies, over 30 injured in road crashes

•  The driver who received serious injuries had died on admission to hospital

By Pushpakumara Mallawarachchi   

 One died and more than 30 others were injured in two accidents yesterday on Colombo- Kandy road and Mirigama- Negombo road.   

 A Colombo bound private bus from Ampara had collided with a  container and was hit against the rear by a bowser that followed at  Bataleeya on Colombo – Kandy road in the early hours of yesterday.  Police said 22 passengers were injured and admitted to Watupitiwala Base Hospital.   

 The accident had created obstructions to traffic on Colombo – Kandy road.   

 In another incident last morning at Waradala in  Kotadeniyawa on Mirigama- Negombo road, the driver of a private bus that  collided head-on with a tipper lorry had died and at least ten  passengers died.   
 The driver who received serious injuries had died on admission to hospital.   

 Nittambuwa and Kotadeniyawa Police are conducting further investigations.