ICSS 2016
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Item Solid Waste Management Through Community Mobilisation: A Case Study of Communicable Disease Management and Control in Sri Lanka.(2016) Karunathilake, K.Dengue is a communicable disease which spreads through a virus that contaminates through a mosquito (Aedes species) mainly breeds in many discarded containers. As a result of modernisation and commercialisation of peoples’ livelihood patterns, commodities are packed in various types of containers, that they discard these containers into the environment irresponsibly making several health and environmental issues. Though, there is a method of collecting wastes from households by the local governance authorities (Pradeshiya Saba, Urban Councils, and Municipal Councils) there is no systematic way of handing over the garbage to collectors. The separation of solid waste and degradable waste is minimum and it makes a very complex issues of disposing the garbage. Especially, this is a common problem in all urbanized areas of Sri Lanka. Hence, communicable disease such as dengue has become an epidemic level in the recent history of Sri Lanka. The aim of the paper is to explore the research attempts done on solid waste management through a well-controlled community mobilization process and the results. The objective of the research was to understand the relative importance of ecological, biological and sociological factors associated with different methods of waste management at household level and to identify appropriate intervention tools for the control of dengue in the district of Gampaha. This was mainly a qualitative study. However, the study team has made an effort to quantify certain finding using SPSS. Using both qualitative and quantitative findings it can be stated that the community mobilisation could be used for a proper and systematic way of solid waste management at household level which is minimizing the burden of local governing authorities in disposing waste. Especially, the methods introduced to households made several benefits such as preventing and controlling communicable diseases, increasing the possibility of growing organic vegetables at dwellings, community cohesiveness, and environmental sustainability. However, application of these research findings is a challenge since there are many institutional bottlenecks and barriers that need to pay especial attention.Item Efficacy of Constitutional Reform on Strengthening Good Governance Practice: A Case Study on 19th Amendment to the Constitution on Accountable Governance in Sri Lanka(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Abeysinghe, C.During the recent past, issues related to the governance have been gaining much attention among the academics as well as policy makers. The failure of achieving anticipated development objectives and the burden of the newly emerging socio-economic needs have paved the way for governance reforms. Emergence of good governance reforms, particularly in developing word, became the bandwagon of the governance policy discourses in the end of the 1990s and first decades of the millennium. with thirty year protracted civil war in Sri Lanka seeks more accountable, corruption and waste free government after the conclusion of the war. This argument raised by the opposition alliance acknowledged the constituencies by changing the ruling regime. Newly appointed government brought the constitutional amendment into the constitution to establish the promised good governance atmosphere in Sri Lanka in 2015. This paper explore the efficacy of the constitutional reform introduced under the 19th amendment to the constitution on enhance the accountability of the governance in Sri Lanka. This is a case study and qualitative secondary data based research in nature. This study reveal that, the legal and institutional reforms introduced under the 19th amendment to the constitution for strengthening accountability of the democratic government have paved the way for the institutional and procedural changes. The changes brought into the immunity of the president under the article 35 of the constitution and the establishment of Constitutional Commission, the Audit Service Commission, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, The National Procurement Commission under the article 41 (B) can be shown for instance. However, whatever the legal, procedural and intuitional changes introduced, it is evident that most of them are related to strengthening accountability in the administration spheres. Therefore, this study brings policy suggestion that, in order to enhance the accountability of the democratic governance, its requires, the administrative accountability and the consolidation of the political accountability. For this government reforms must include election reforms which bring the check and balance between political and permeant executives and the people representatives and the constituencies simultaneously. Moreover, in order to sustain the accountability of the governance, such reform must be fit to prevailed political culture in Sri Lanka.Item Disaster Management Issues of Marginalized People in Flood Affected Areas in the City of Colombo and Its Surroundings: The Cases of Colombo and Gampaha Districts of Sri Lanka(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Sakalasooriya, N.This Study investigates the major issues of communities who have settled in flood prone areas in Colombo city and surrounding rural periphery in Gampaha District. Around 302,000 people in 22 districts in Sri Lanka have been affected due to the torrential rain and floods, according to the latest situation report from the Disaster Management Centre of Sri Lanka. The number of families affected is close to 75,000 with 104 deaths, 31 injured, 99 missing and damage to property totalling over 5,000. There are 210 safe locations housing over 6,000 individuals and 21,484 families. Key findings in an assessment by the Ministry of Disaster Management in the Colombo, and Gampaha districts said the May 2016 floods have caused the highest displacements widespread damage to productive assets, loss to livelihoods and agricultural and livestock production. This paper examines the gap between neediness of victims and disaster management process in 2016 flood disaster in Sri Lanka. to examining the issues to fulfil the neediness of victims in city and its periphery, 09 Grama Niladhari Divisions (GNDs), five from Gamapaha district and four from Colombo District, have been selected as study areas. The study clarifies the issues, which are being faced by the flood victims in the study areas and attempts to disclose the weaknesses of post disaster management process to recover their livelihood. Qualitative approach is applied and focused group discussions, key informant interviews and field observations are the main data collecting methods. The study has done in month of August, two months after the severe flood event occurred in 2016. Most of the families got affected are living in geographically vulnerable areas such as low-lying lands, filled land, and brick quarries where inundation is possible after heavy rain. No relationship is been observed between the development and the geographical features of the area. Seems there was no city planning or rural planning whatsoever. This needs to be taken into consideration in longer term town development planning. Canal systems, waste water systems, swage systems were seems to be irregular. Though there were many reports of community based disaster management systems, none of such systems were functioning during the floods. Survey participants clearly mentioned the gaps in disaster response mechanisms. They have observed the lack of coordination among respective organizations. As per the community improper functioning of waste management, sewage systems and management of water ways have found out to be the main reason for the increased impact. In most cases, especially in Kolonnawa DS division in Colombo this was a regular occurrence even before the flooding. People have not considered early warning from DMC seriously, although they are warned people were hesitant to evacuate because they didn’t have previous experiences of a disaster of such a magnitude. This also has raised the point of having the capacity among people to interpret early warnings given by the Government and media and to respond accordingly. Lesson learned was that not only early warning technology, their impacts and anticipated responses need to be assessed.Item Living with risk and socioeconomic obligations; a case study from landslide prone areas of Mathale District, Sri Lanka(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Wijesinghe, M.Disaster risk management is reducing hazards, and vulnerabilities while enhancing capacities of a particular system or population. Vulnerability of a particular community depends on multiple factors such as geography, vegetation, climate and socioeconomic aspects. Nevertheless the socioeconomic aspects play over physical features to enhance (or reduce) risks in a particular area or community therefore interventions on such socioeconomic factors become vital in the process of risk reduction. The paper discusses with a bottom-up approach how different socioeconomic causes have bound people to live with risk rather than evading risk buy relocating themselves in less vulnerable areas. The study was conducted in four Grama Niladhari Divisions in Mathale District, Sri Lanka. Results of the study show that there are complex reasons why families take the risk of living in landslide prone areas with danger. Those reasons justify their decisions to remain in vulnerable slopes though there were request for permanent evacuation form lands with threat. The survey was looking at some unique local conditions. Mostly poor families were compelled to live with threats of landslides due to socioeconomic obligations. Though their lands were identified as ‘risky’ economic benefits such as home gardens and surrounding environment, amenities of water and electricity, together with social advantageous of living with kin, closeness to urban centers, schools, and social cohesiveness has positively influence their stay. This reveals that risk reduction plans such as relocation should consider such underlying factors that support the ‘risk culture’ of vulnerable populations.Item Community Participation for Disaster Risk Reduction(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Hemathilaka, J.Floods and landslides caused by torrential rains in Sri Lanka in May 2016 have left 71 people dead, 127 missing, and over 319,000 displaced from homes while over a 427,000 people are affected by the adverse weather. This is the latest experience in Sri Lanka where the frequency and the intensity of natural disaster has shown a drastic increase over the last decade. With the impacts of climate change and destruction of natural eco systems it is expected that natural disasters going to be a frequent phenomenon. If Sri Lanka fails to adapt to this situation quickly the damage for the security of the people’s lives and overall progress of the country will be irreversible. Our current approach in preventing and responding to disasters is largely based on top-down, command and control approach with very little space for affected communities in decision making and implementation. As shown by the previous experiences this has led to more unrest among communities hence worsening the situation. Similarly, with the increasing challenges a centralized single authority will no longer in a position to respond to all the disasters in an inclusive, effective and sustainable manner. As seen in many occasions, local governance structures have played a significant role in disaster situations. But there are some serious questions we have to find answers. Do these local governance structures have the capacities, resources or space in playing a major role in disaster prevention and responding? Do the affected people, especially most vulnerable groups including women, ethnic minorities and disable, have the space in participating decision making and implementing processes? Are we ready to accept the affected communities as dignified citizens who have a right to have proper support rather than being mere recipients. Therefore, this paper has intended to shear the outcome of stake holder consultation to find solutions to those questions and build a system which based on effective participatory governance structure we will be better prepared in responding to the unavoidable natural disasters in future.Item School disaster safety” an investment on sustainable development(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Weweldeniya, W.A.Frequency and Severity of disaster events in Sri Lanka have shown an increasing trend during last two decades. Natural hazards such as Floods, Cyclones, Drought, Landslides, and Coastal Erosion have negatively impacted the wellbeing of many communities. In addition, lightning strikes, land subsidence, health hazards, communicable diseases, wild animal attacks and environmental pollution events could also be considered as regular disaster events in Sri Lanka. Natural hazards result in serious economic and social impacts and compromise the development and poverty reduction priorities of Sri Lanka. Disasters often affect essential infrastructure such as houses, schools, hospitals, government buildings, roads, bridges and livelihood assets such as agricultural crops, small industries, and fisheries. Therefore scarce government resources that are allocated for development are diverted for relief and rehabilitation efforts. Education is one of the most important and sensitive sector which has direct relationship to disaster impacts in the country. Children are one of the most vulnerable groups to disasters as well as day today hazards in the environment. Frequent disasters disrupt the education of children and create long term implications to carrier of the children as well as to the nation. Children are recognized as one of the vulnerable groups to disasters and climate change impacts and children which is known as the human resource force of the country. It also, children are identified as change agents of future and they influence directions towards sustainable development. Thousands of children around the world are affected by disasters and the trend is increasing in the context of disaster and climate change. Investment on loss and damages and taking long time for back normal. Major disasters damage education infrastructure and interrupt the education system. Government resources that are allocated for development has to divert for reconstruction or rehabilitate of infrastructure development and additional money for system recovery. Deprivation and psycho-social loss (away from familiar environment, friends etc.). in such disastrous situation, children expose to deprivation and psycho social impact to them and it is very high.Item Strategies of Reconciliation through Education and Research(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Vitharana, S.; Sumedha, K.; Jayaweera, S.; Manuratne, P.Postwar Sri Lanka has explored several modes and models of reconciliation as part of its effort to address the deep ethnic divide that still affects the country. Ultra-nationalist groups continue to create discourses and forums that destroy the potential for any sustainable peace among the various ethno-religious groups that were affected by the conflict. Attempts at creating discourses on reconciliation do not always occur at the grassroots level, often employing top-down models that prove unsustainable in the long run. In this research, we theorize a pedagogical exercise in which we participated as lecturers at the University of Kelaniya. A group of Third Year Sociology students were required to conduct a field research as part of their study program. The study involved a field trip to Tirukkovil and Karaitivu in two consecutive years, two Divisional Secretariats in the Eastern Province. The students had to be part of home-stays that involved close cultural contact with the host community. In this paper, we explore how the experience of being part of this research project can be theorized in terms of pedagogical strategies for reconciliation. Drawing on this experience, and the insights of the Freirean model of education, we explore the limits and challenges of traditional modes of delivering information such as lectures and presentations. We argue that informal modes of cultural exchange, operating at the grassroots level, facilitate ethnic reconciliation more effectively than traditional modes of delivery.Item Social control against the locational waste disposal and cultural practices(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Jayaweera, S.Cultural practices rooted in a certain community affect environmental issues and related human interactions. Colombo city is the central business hub in Sri Lanka and provide dwelling places for more than one million people. The highest population density has been reported from the same district along with 15 wards belongs to city central. The life styles of the people living in the different locations in the city show wide subcultural practices. Therefore, this research investigates locational strategies on the waste disposal problem. Methodologically this paper employs visual sociological methods and photo analysis. This study aims to understand public response on environmental pollution with concern to the waste disposal in public places in the Colombo city. Data collection was limited to selected areas which characterizes demographical differences. The research problem arises with the idea of cultural beliefs and practices of a certain community may affect the waste management or garbage disposal. 35 photographs which were taken in different locations have been used in the analysis. It has observed a number of incidents originate form the failures in the mechanism of garbage management systems that end up with aggressive and violent conflicts between two or more individuals or groups governed by different value systems. Sri Lanka has a long tradition of using magic and spiritual strategies on controlling human relationships and conflict situations. Findings clearly show that public beliefs on the power of the black magic are still a powerful method of social controlling than the official law enforcement agencies with respect to waste disposal.Item The Spatial Changes in Water Quality in the Upper Stream of the Polgolla Reservoir Catchment(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Jayarathne, E.G.M.Polgolla Reservoir Catchment (PRC) is distributed in the Upper Mahaweli River basin, Central Province of Sri Lanka. The catchments of Major Rivers in Sri Lanka are being polluted due to various factors that made by human intervention for development. Therefore it is indispensable to explore the current level of water quality in the river catchments areas, which feed major water courses providing surface water for the people. PRC is the one of importance catchment area in Mahaweli river basin. The main objective of my study was to determine the processes and factors affecting the water quality changes in the sub catchment PRC using Geospatial technology. The data was collected on eight water quality parameters, in the ten locations, which are selected purposively at different elevations in the catchment and analyzed using Contour layers. The water quality spatial variation map was prepared by using IDW and weighted overlay tools in Arc GIS. The final map shows the high, moderate and low polluted areas of the PRC.Item Comparative study on the adsorptive behavior of As (III) and Cr (III) ions from aqueous solution on to sawdust and rice husk biochar(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Gunatilake, S.K.Sorption capacity of two different biochar (saw dust and rice straw) was evaluated in the recovery of arsenic and chromium from aqueous solutions. Biochar from rice straw and saw dust were obtained from pyrolysis of biomass at 400◦C. The optimum sorption conditions were studied for different concentrated monometallic system. Sorption studies were performed at different pH, contracting time and different initial metal ion concentration in the batch mode. The optimum pH was 3 for recovery of As(III) and 5-7 for Cr(III). Kinetic studies yielded an optimum equilibrium time of 50 minutes with an adsorbent dose of 1 g/L and initial concentration ∼20 mg/L for both ions. Metal ions in aqueous solution were transported to biochar surface through adsorption and intra-particle diffusion process. Experimental data for both metal ions were fitted a Langmuir model with R2 value for As(III) 0.969, 0.879 for saw dust and rice straw respectively while 0.971, 0.99 for Cr(III) ions. The Freundlich constant, KF values for removal of As(III) and Cr(III) ions by saw dust and rice straw were 0.9127, 0.8951 and 0.944, 0.844 respectively. The 1/n value for arsenic and chromium ions obtained from saw dust and rice straw were 0.209, 028 and 0.862, 0.84 respectively and indicate the normal sorption of As(III) and Cr(III). The values indicated the affinity of the sorbent towards the uptake of both ions and adsorptions of the metal ions were favorable. According to FTIR analysis As(III) as well as Cr(III) metal ions bound to active sites of the biosorbents in different biochars through either electrostatic attraction or complexation mechanism. The electrostatic attraction between metal ion and carbonate group and complexation mechanism between electron donor atoms (O and N) are occurred. These results indicated that carbonyl, hydroxyl, amine and halides are the main adsorption sites in saw dust and rice straw biochar and these functional groups complexes with As(III) and Cr(III) ions in the aqueous solution and changed the chemical environment of the functional groups in the biochar. The results showed that rice straw and saw dust biomass can be used to remove Arsenic and Chromium ions from aqueous phase.