As a resident of the ancient city of Galle, I want to focus attention on certain changes that have taken place in the town in recent times which have been detrimental to its age old charm.

The lovely and attractive bathing-spots around the Fort are no longer what they were. Almost gone are the days when young and old enjoyed a ‘dip’ at these spots. The youth who frolicked in these waters turned out to be expert swimmers and some even brought credit to the town. Today, these bathing places have been badly neglected and people shun them. The Southern Provincial Council office has come up at the further end of the park, originally called the Victoria Park and except for those going on official business to the Council office, others are not permitted to enter the premises and this has denied them access to what was once was almost a natural swimming pool.

The steps leading down to three bathing places below the ramparts are in such a bad condition that people will think twice before descending them to reach the beach. The old harbour area where the former jetties are and which was a popular bathing spot has been declared ‘out of bounds’. The beach behind the ‘pola’ is frequented by drug peddlers and addicts and the ordinary men would not take a chance of going that way for a sea bath. So much for bathing spots!

The Butterfly Bridge or ‘Samanala Palama’ which is a landmark in Galle and links the main road leading to the Fort to the Victoria Park, is in a dilapidated condition. Occasionally some repairs are done on it. Why could it not be made a permanent structure retaining its original features? Many people have stood on it in an evening to enjoy a breath of fresh air. Fishing in the bay in front of it was an exhilarating experience for professional fishermen as well as amateur anglers. Today the bay is polluted with faeces dumped into it as well as by some members of the public who use the area as an ‘al fresco’ toilet. In the good old days, Public Health Inspectors of the Galle Municipality patrolled these areas and such acts were prevented by a Municipal by-law. Where are these officers today? It is surprising that the Council which is on the perimeter of the park functions with the obnoxious smells from the bay wafting into the council building!

The Galle Esplanade was considered as the ‘lung’ of the town but today it is almost surrounded by buildings. Only a portion of it is still open to let the fresh air move in from the sea. Sports activities have been restricted to cricket after the ground was converted into a stadium and given International status as a Test Cricket ground. It is now monopolised by the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka.

The Galle Municipality is experiencing difficulty in providing alternate accommodation for football, athletics, volleyball etc., sports which brought fame to Galle, especially football. In the years gone by, the leading schools in Galle, both ‘boys’ as well as ‘girls’ schools, used these grounds for practices, sports meets and inter-school matches. Camaraderie prevailed and no one questioned another about the school to which he or she belonged. All played together in a fine spirit. The little urchins of China Garden, a stone’s throw away, spent hours on these grounds. Many of them ended up as fine footballers and cricketers.

With the increase of vehicles on the old roads of the town, movement of traffic as well as pedestrians is restricted. To make matters worse, three-wheelers are indiscriminately parked at every nook and corner. This congestion is evident along the main road opposite the Galle Railway Station. The particular stretch of so called Gamini Mawatha, between the bus-stand and the line of hotel buildings, is further narrowed by the temporary huts put up on both sides by vendors.

The Galle Ramparts, a rare heritage, should be given a face-lift and a more systematic plan should be drawn up for its maintenance. Cordoning off sections with barbed-wire fences and allowing even temporary structures to come up on it must be stopped forthwith.

Needless to say, environmental pollution has resulted and this ‘open city’ will soon become a veritable ‘blackboard jungle’, if steps are not taken to remedy the situation soon and to bring Galle back to its pristine glory. Then its value as a tourist attraction too, could be exploited. It is high time that the Galle Municipal Council and the Archaeological Department wake up from their slumber, and, in conjunction with social service societies such as the Lions’ Club plan out things. Financial assistance could be sought from the Southern Provincial Council or even the Central Government, bodies which will surely extend their cooperation to help a worthy cause.

S. M. E. Jayasinghe
Galle