Several months ago Temple Flower trees in and around Colombo were noticed to be shedding their leaves with soot like deposits.  The malady continued unabated until some concerned persons wrote to the newspapers about it and claimed it was due to mealy bug infestation.  Now there is hardly a Temple Flower tree with leaves in the Colombo area.  Last week on a trip to Tissamaharama it was noticed that even in those parts the attack is seen in its early stages.  What is still more distressing is that other shrubs and plants both of economic and aesthetic importance are also showing signs of the attack.  Papaw and Karapincha trees have been affected so much so that papaws cost over Rs.100/= a kilo and curry leaves are scares.

Have all those dozens of Ministers, Deputies and their hordes of officials in charge of agriculture and environment not noticed this?  Apparently not.

Hence the Minister for Environment should take this matter up as top priority as this is a national disaster in the making.

He must without any delay, its late as it is, summon all Entomologists in the country and put in place a well thought out plan to correct this serious situation.  Perhaps they will decide on biological control as insecticidal applications are not feasible due to the vast area affected.

This brings to mind a similar situation in the late 1960s when coconut was infected with a pest (kumingi?) and was effectively tackled by several government and private organizations which came together in the interests of the country.