By Yumiko Perera
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"The main idea of this initiative is to motivate people to plant more trees. Thus, we believe the tax concession would act as an incentive and a motivational factor that would help maintain a greener city" CMC Municipal Commissioner Roshanie Dissanayake[/caption]
Home to nearly one-third of Sri Lanka’s population, Colombo is the fastest-growing city in Sri Lanka, with several mushrooming construction projects and a constantly expanding cityscape. Rapid urbanisation has a direct impact on air quality levels. Thus, various green initiatives are being promoted to maintain healthy air quality levels in the capital.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) Air Quality Unit senior scientist H.D.S. Premasiri said: “While Colombo, Jaffna, Kandy, and Kurunegala areas indicate some level of pollution, there is no evidence that the pollution has exceeded the standard levels in 2021.”
While the air quality levels remain moderately normal, Premasiri noted that it shouldn't be seen as an excuse to stop worrying.
To battle the constantly declining levels of air quality in the capital, the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, has initiated a tree-planting programme titled “Kolmabata Gasak Ithuru Karamu” (let’s save a tree for Colombo) to counteract the adverse effects of urbanisation.
According to CMC Municipal Commissioner Roshanie Dissanayake, during a discussion held at the Ministry of Environment on 4 March with the participation of Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, Colombo Mayoress Rosy Senanayake, and other officials, the question regarding air quality levels in the Colombo had been raised.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Municipal Commissioner Dissanayake stated: “The tree coverage in Colombo is not sufficient to battle the increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, which is why we at the municipality believe in promoting initiatives that encourage people to grow more trees.”
“If you look at aerial photographs in Colombo, you would find some areas that are green. Other areas with a denser population appear to have nothing but buildings. Whilst our effort is to increase awareness on maintaining good air quality levels, as well as encouraging more people in the capital to plant trees in whichever they can, we try to get more people involved with us on a community level,” observed Dissanayake.
When it comes to designing and maintaining sufficient extents for green spaces in an urban area, there are certain parameters that one should focus on, such as population, environmental conditions, climate conditions, as well as different cultural behaviours of residents. It is evident that urbanisation has changed the natural environment so much that the ecological systems are severely impacted. Its negative impact on urban green space is especially considerable and demands immediate attention.
“‘Kolambata Gasak Ithuru Karamu’ is an initiative that is planned to be implemented on 22 April. We are aiming to plant 100,000 trees within Colombo municipality limits,” noted Dissanayake.
In collaboration with the private sector, 3,000 public officials in the city, as well as the Ministry of Environment, Dissanayake mentioned that this is a volunteer programme initiated by the CMC.
Elaborating further on how the idea behind this initiative is to bring in a tax exemption as an incentive for people in the community, Dissanayake emphasised the importance of getting the community involved in projects like these to help make Colombo a little more greener.
“Whilst this programme has multiple approaches to attract every segment of society, the main idea of this initiative is to motivate people to plant more trees. Thus, we believe the tax concession would act as an incentive and a motivational factor that would help maintain a greener city. People of the community can start by planting a tree in their own backyard,” Dissanayake added.
Elaborating further on how the initiative would take place, Dissanayake noted that it is important to highlight that this isn't only about making everything green, adding that there are certain types of plants people would have to plant to receive this exemption of taxes – plants that would aid in the levels of oxygen being released to the atmosphere. Having a beautiful green lawn would not count, added Dissanayake in jest.
In conclusion, Dissanayake shared: “Trees like kumbuk, rukaththana, and other similar varieties are known to release more oxygen than others. Not only do they help maintain a healthy level of oxygen in the atmosphere, but they also bode well to the biodiversity in the areas altogether. Whilst we would provide people with plants, we would also be setting up a system where we would be constantly monitoring the progress of these trees.”
"The main idea of this initiative is to motivate people to plant more trees. Thus, we believe the tax concession would act as an incentive and a motivational factor that would help maintain a greener city" CMC Municipal Commissioner Roshanie Dissanayake[/caption]
Home to nearly one-third of Sri Lanka’s population, Colombo is the fastest-growing city in Sri Lanka, with several mushrooming construction projects and a constantly expanding cityscape. Rapid urbanisation has a direct impact on air quality levels. Thus, various green initiatives are being promoted to maintain healthy air quality levels in the capital.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) Air Quality Unit senior scientist H.D.S. Premasiri said: “While Colombo, Jaffna, Kandy, and Kurunegala areas indicate some level of pollution, there is no evidence that the pollution has exceeded the standard levels in 2021.”
While the air quality levels remain moderately normal, Premasiri noted that it shouldn't be seen as an excuse to stop worrying.
To battle the constantly declining levels of air quality in the capital, the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, has initiated a tree-planting programme titled “Kolmabata Gasak Ithuru Karamu” (let’s save a tree for Colombo) to counteract the adverse effects of urbanisation.
According to CMC Municipal Commissioner Roshanie Dissanayake, during a discussion held at the Ministry of Environment on 4 March with the participation of Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, Colombo Mayoress Rosy Senanayake, and other officials, the question regarding air quality levels in the Colombo had been raised.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Municipal Commissioner Dissanayake stated: “The tree coverage in Colombo is not sufficient to battle the increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, which is why we at the municipality believe in promoting initiatives that encourage people to grow more trees.”
“If you look at aerial photographs in Colombo, you would find some areas that are green. Other areas with a denser population appear to have nothing but buildings. Whilst our effort is to increase awareness on maintaining good air quality levels, as well as encouraging more people in the capital to plant trees in whichever they can, we try to get more people involved with us on a community level,” observed Dissanayake.
When it comes to designing and maintaining sufficient extents for green spaces in an urban area, there are certain parameters that one should focus on, such as population, environmental conditions, climate conditions, as well as different cultural behaviours of residents. It is evident that urbanisation has changed the natural environment so much that the ecological systems are severely impacted. Its negative impact on urban green space is especially considerable and demands immediate attention.
“‘Kolambata Gasak Ithuru Karamu’ is an initiative that is planned to be implemented on 22 April. We are aiming to plant 100,000 trees within Colombo municipality limits,” noted Dissanayake.
In collaboration with the private sector, 3,000 public officials in the city, as well as the Ministry of Environment, Dissanayake mentioned that this is a volunteer programme initiated by the CMC.
Elaborating further on how the idea behind this initiative is to bring in a tax exemption as an incentive for people in the community, Dissanayake emphasised the importance of getting the community involved in projects like these to help make Colombo a little more greener.
“Whilst this programme has multiple approaches to attract every segment of society, the main idea of this initiative is to motivate people to plant more trees. Thus, we believe the tax concession would act as an incentive and a motivational factor that would help maintain a greener city. People of the community can start by planting a tree in their own backyard,” Dissanayake added.
Elaborating further on how the initiative would take place, Dissanayake noted that it is important to highlight that this isn't only about making everything green, adding that there are certain types of plants people would have to plant to receive this exemption of taxes – plants that would aid in the levels of oxygen being released to the atmosphere. Having a beautiful green lawn would not count, added Dissanayake in jest.
In conclusion, Dissanayake shared: “Trees like kumbuk, rukaththana, and other similar varieties are known to release more oxygen than others. Not only do they help maintain a healthy level of oxygen in the atmosphere, but they also bode well to the biodiversity in the areas altogether. Whilst we would provide people with plants, we would also be setting up a system where we would be constantly monitoring the progress of these trees.”