It is a well known fact that Ratmalana is a suburban town highly vulnerable with regard to floods. Within a matter of approximately one hour’s continuous rain with a certain amount of magnitude, the whole area goes under water causing immense inconvenience to residents. The worst effected are the house holders living towards the seaside from Galle Road. The main reason for this menace is the inadequacy of the drainage system in the area.

At every downpour, there is a vast collection of water on the land-side, extending to Aththidiya. There is only one drain running parallel to Rajamawatha to take this huge collection of water to the sea. This drain is totally incapable of carrying such a huge load, resulting in the overflow of water causing the whole area to flood specially the seaside. It is also observed that the outlet of this drain to the sea is very often covered with sea-sand, blocking proper drainage. There is no regular arrangement to clear.

It is also noted that the water does not flow rapidly through this drain since it is not cleaned by the local authority on a regular basis, to remove waste materials in the drain, such as polythene bags, coconut husks and branches and other similar garbage.

Several politicians involved in both national and local politics, specially during election times have made very rosy promises to the voters in the area to take suitable steps to remedy these unfortunate periodical occurances. Some of these people have not only got themselves elected to the Parliament or the Local Authority, as the case may be but have been fortunate enough even to be appointed as Ministers in the respective governments. But it is so disheartening that as is usual with politicians, after being elected, they have forgotten the whole issue.

A certain government agency is taking steps to widen the culvert at Galle Road opposite Bata Sales outlet, perhaps with the view of allowing the water collected on the landside of the drain to pass quickly to the other side (seaside). This exercise, no doubt will bring about a certain measure of relief to the people living on the landside. But regretfully for those householders occupying the seaside area, it will be like "falling from the frying pan into the fire". With the quick outflow of water to this stretch of the drain, it will get full in no time and start overflowing, inundating the whole area causing immence suffering to the people and heavy damages to their houses and other properties. This will happen even in event of a moderate rain fall. Therefore, it will be in the interest of the people already suffering in silence to make necessary adjustments to improve the present drainage system on the seaside before the above mentioned culvert is widened. If it is widened without attending to the existing defects in the drain running parallel to Rajamawatha, it will certainly have very adverse and serious repercussion on the lives and properties of these people.

Therefore, it is hoped that the Ministers concerned both at the national and provincial levels and also the relevant officials attached to the local authorities in the area, will give sufficient thought to this matter before it is too late.
R. Upali Jayasinghe
Secretary
Ratmalana Citizens Committee