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State Minister calls for sensible solution: Ask farmer to buy fertiliser to prevent overuse
By Saman Indrajith
Removing the subsidy and asking the farmers to buy their fertiliser requirement would have been the right answer to the problems created by the excessive use of chemical fertiliser, State Minister of Urban Development, Waste Disposal and Community Cleanliness, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa said.
Godahewa said that he was not sure whether anyone had understood the current fertiliser issue correctly. People were talking about ‘solutions’ and fighting over them without asking what was the ‘issue’ in the first place.
“Don’t we remember the public outcry against chemical fertiliser several years back? That was mainly because of the health issues created by the use of chemical fertiliser. The former president even requested the Chinese government to set up a kidney hospital in Polonnaruwa. That was because kidney diseases had become so widespread amongst the farming communities in the Polonnaruwa district. Our Doctors kept publishing research papers on how the health of our younger generation is affected by consuming food produced using chemical fertiliser. It was indeed a big issue. The list goes on and it was a no-brainer that the excessive use of chemical fertiliser was becoming harmful to society,” he said.
Chemical fertiliser was used all over the world to increase crop productivity, while It had a positive impact on the yield but the excessive use of chemical fertiliser could lead to several other problems, Dr. Godahewa said.
“Then what we should have discussed in the first place would have been how we can reduce the excessive use of chemical fertiliser. To answer that question one should have discussed why farmers were using too much chemical fertiliser on their lands,” he said.
One obvious answer would have been the availability of free fertiliser subsidies, which could be statistically proven. When the government stopped the fertiliser subsidy a few years back the amount of fertiliser imports to the country reduced drastically. But when the government restored fertiliser subsidies, the demand almost doubled. So it was very clear that the farmers used chemical fertilier more than what they needed when it was given free, he said.
The State Minister said: “Removing the subsidy and asking the farmers to buy their fertiliser requirement would have been the right answer. Then the use of fertiliser would have been more efficient. Obviously this wouldn’t have been politically popular. The second point we should have discussed would have been the availability of chemical fertiliser less harmful to the users. Technology is moving fast and the world is experiencing new innovations all the time. Instead of going for the cheapest source for buying, successive governments should have introduced some regulations on the types of fertiliser that can be imported”.
The recent decision of the government to import nano-nitrogen fertiliser could be a move in the right direction as it seemed to be a less harmful, technologically advanced product from the information currently available, he said
Organic farming was an obvious solution to reduce damage to the environment, Dr. Godahewa said. However, it couldn’t be the only solution.
“There must be other answers. I already pointed out two such answers above. Today we act as if our whole objective is to shift our entire cultivation to organic fertiliser. But is it what we want in the first place or is this all a big miscommunication? I strongly feel where we are going wrong is too much emphasis on a solution without asking what was the issue in the first place,” he said.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
