Death Trap at Wetland (Weli Park) Nugegoda

By Athula Ranasinghe

The walking track at Wetland Park, popularly known as Weli Park, is patronized by many residents in the area for physical exercises in the morning and evening. Its popularity and usefulness have tremendously increased over the years as it is the one and only leisure park for the elderly people, teenagers, young couples, children in this bustling town because of its serenity, cleanliness and safety. This park provides all the resting, recreational, playground, car-parking and toilet facilities, etc., especially designed for the public, irrespective of any age and is a model park in the true sense of the word with all the amenities and security provided by the Police. The amount of oxygen the trees planted on either side of the canals running through the walking stretch of one and half kilometers generates a healthy environment, thanks to the far-reaching vision of the President when he was the Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development in 2013.

However, the well-overgrown trees on the banks of the canals over the years along the walking stretch though provided an ideal shelter to the users has now become a death trap as seen in the photo. My son who was jogging on this walking track with his wife met with a nasty accident a few days ago when his head hit a huge trunk of a tree that has encroached right across the walking track in the night. He was immediately rushed for medical treatment as he had fallen the ground in an unconscious state. To add insult to injury, an elderly gentleman accidently met the same fate when his head hit this well-stretch branch in the morning last Sunday, resulting in bleeding and a swallowed forehead. This accident took place in broad daylight in the presence of hundreds of users of the track. On inquiry I was told there have been numerous near miss cases in the last few weeks and no one had the audacity to bring this inherent danger to the notice of the authorities. One could easily imagine the plight of the users who use this track in the night.

As an environmentalist, I do not for a moment recommend the chopping of this particular trunk but the safety of its users is paramount important. The whole purpose of converting this marshy land into a first-class public utility is lost, if a fatal accident occurs. Hence, I would suggest the following alternate measurers.

1. To erect a warning board refraining the public not to walk under this huge branch.

2. To explore the possibility of lifting the branch with the support of concrete or any other metal structures.

3. A public warning to be installed in luminous colour, preferably with tiger mark so that it will facilitate the users the track in the night not to fall victims. A considerable number of foreigners who by and large are six footers would take precautionary measurers to abide by the warning signals.

4. A revisit by the Authorities to inspect all the parks to ensure that the users are absolutely safe from the safety of view from the trees that have encroached the walking paths.

5. It is unfortunate that the Environmental Unit of the Mirihana Police Station stationed at the entrance to the Wetland Park has not observed this imminent danger this branch has posed to the limbs and life of the users.

(athularanasinghe88@yahoo.com)