UDA denies neglect of Beira Lake

With reference to the Daily FT article titled ‘No Kunu: Massive citizens’ campaign to clean Beira’, the Urban Development Authority has sent the following statement. 

Whilst appreciating the senior citizens’ initiative to clean the Beira Lake on tomorrow and focus on sustainable improvement, the Urban Development Authority has concerns over the statement of “calls for a comprehensive initiative by the state to clean up the lake and its surrounding areas fell on deaf ears for several years”.

The Urban Development Authority is vehemently denying such a claim as the organisation has been continuously investing millions of rupees for the improvement of the water quality and surrounding ambience of the Beria Lake since the year 2000.

East Beira area development

With the UDA investment of Rs. 1,000 million, 2.5 km of the east Beira bank has improved vastly with a bank protection project together with a spacious linier park of six metres in width completed and opened for the public to use on 12 June 2018 by His Excellency the President Maithripala Sirisena. In line with the said development, the newly-built Macculam entrance park has been allocated for public use in 2017. In addition to the above, another two contracts for lake dredging and bank protection is in progress as of now.

West Beira area development

The Beira Development program was not limited to the East Beira development but further extend to both sides of the west lake to complete the bank protection with a six-meter liner park development for public use.

By investing Rs. 1,350 million, nearly 384 underserved settlers’ houses near Vauxhall Street were relocated, providing decent living at the ‘Methsandasevana’ and ‘Laksandasewana’ housing projects which has allowed the disconnection of 500 illegal sewer lines into the Beira Lake, resulting in a remarkable drop in the dumping of sewer and solid waste.This has provided greater chances for water quality improvement during the past few months.

So this has resulted in a drastic drop in public complaints about the unpleasant odour which they had been experiencing from time to time due to the high alga growth.

Rising of the Central Business District 

Experts of the UDA have identified that high business potential exists within the surrounding area of the Beira Lake and have taken steps to develop the Central Business District of the capital. By now the primary work of land identification, liberation and facilitation for corporate conglomerates to locate their establishments to the area has already begun.

Therefore, more than any other stakeholder, the Urban Development Authority has taken valuable steps in improving the Beira Lake and the surrounding ambience under the Metro Colombo Urban Development Project which was established by the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development.

Continuous maintenance 

of Beira Lake area

It’s noteworthy to mention that the UDA spends Rs. 9 million annually for the maintenance of the lake area for the benefit of the public.

Hence, it’s the UDA’s responsibility to deliver a self-explanation to the concerned public to understand the reality of the incorrect claim disclosed in the article published on 18 July declaring that calls for the “state to clean up the Beira Lake and its surrounding areas fell on deaf ears for several years”.

However, the UDA is extending its fullest support for the citizens’ initiative of ‘No Kunu’ scheduled on 21 July since the campaign attempts to create awareness among the masses about the importance of protecting the largest inland water body of the city of Colombo for future generations.