An ambitious engineer working for JBIC was responsible for the setting up of an organisation called Margamithuro for the express purpose of (1) Reducing road accidents (2) bringing about much needed discipline among all road users.

A grant of about Rs. 7 million was received from the government of Japan and many genuine professionals supporting this good cause willingly became life members paying Rs. 1000/- each.

A grand "do" took place on Parliament grounds thanks to the president of Margamithuro who happened to be the Defence Secretary at that time. There was a musical show also and a cassette containing the Margamithuro song was on sale at Rs. 25/- each.

Today road accidents have multiplied to such an extent that we kill an average of six per day or one every 4 1/2 hrs and Margamithuro has withdrawn from the scene with the moneys collected. Only its logo still hangs in the premises of Mahaweli Authority at Jawatte Road.

Now this same engineer has turned environmentalist and floated an Environmental Institute while he worked for CEA. Large numbers of junior officers of the CEA were forced to join on payment while the more qualified joined as members paying Rs. 1500/-per year. The attraction was that one could engage in private practice doing ElAs for a fee. Now the said engineer is no more at CEA.

While we hope that this Institute will not go the same way as Margamithuro, we certainly have the right to know the details of where Margamithuro is presently located and what happened to our moneys.