Environmental care starts at Rathmalana, near Colombo
The clean-up was carried out last Saturday as part of a series of initiatives undertaken to mark a local association’s 200th anniversary in 2020. People must be informed on how to manage trash disposal. Provincial and local authorities backed the initiative.
Colombo (AsiaNews) – As the Holy Family Association gets ready to celebrate its 200th anniversary, its members showed their commitment to environmental protection by cleaning up Rathmalana Beach where residents tend to throw away their trash or burn it.
"As the Holy Family Association, we will celebrate the 200th Jubilee in 2020,” Sister Priyanta Vaz told AsiaNews. “To give these celebrations some sense, we planned and are implementing spiritual and outreach initiatives. One of the most urgent is environmental clean-up.”
This was done last Saturday, when a day of Shramadana (gift of labour) was performed, starting in the morning. The Sisters of the Holy Family, a group of lay associates of the parish of Dalugama, and some members of the Legion of Mary in the parish of Rathmalana took part in the activity.
Participants picked up plastic materials, used clothes, shopping bags, leather shoes, cans, glass bottles and all kinds of trash from the beach.
The initiative was made possible by the help of the Provincial Council and the Urban Council, which provided garbage bags and gloves to pick up the trash for sorting and recycling.
Sister Shanthilatha from the Holy Family convent in Rathmalana organised the initiative. For her it is necessary "to change the attitude of families. They are used to burning trash on the beaches and that’s no good. There are pieces of plastic, polythene, kitchen waste, all together."
The nun added that the work will continue at the urging of Nimal Premathilake, head of the Nikasala Purawara" (Trash-free city) programme in Colombo at the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development.
The goal is to train people on how to "manage and what to do with the trash. They can make money by selling the trash treated under the Urban Council programme."
Local residents Sriyani and Udeshika told AsiaNews that they are better prepared for the protection of the environment thanks to the explanations given by Sister Priyantha, and that they will try to "manage all the trash in the way she explained."
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