Croc toll rises with no real solution in sight

Saman Upul Pinidiya
Akuressa Correspondent

The crocodile menace in the areas where the Nilvala river flows has reached alarming proportions and the beasts have taken away an increasing number of lives of innocent people.

Today the people in these areas are overwhelmed by fear as crocs have become a severe threat to them.

This year, during the period from January to date four lives have been lost to the crocodiles and five people escaped death by a hair’s breadth.

There were a number of newspaper ‘headlines’ highlighting the dangerous situation that people living near the banks of Nilwala river are forced to face because of these man eating monsters.

The authorities have so far failed to provide a solution to this nagging issue.

The villages of Bopagoda, Welihena,Porathota, Godapitiya,Panadugama, Amalagoda,Paraduwa, Athuraliya and Kadduwa in the Akuressa police division are under constant threat due to the crocodile menace and are living in fear falling victim to a crocodile attack.

Another issue faced by the residents in these villages is the lack of drinking water and they are forced to go to the river and fetch water thus becoming an easy prey to the river monster.

I set off one morning with my collegue at Upali Newspapers, K.P.Harischandra whose sister, Sita had been a victim of a crocodile attack in August 2007.

We spoke to boatman Leslie (57) at the Heegatta East thotupala (pier) who had been ferrying people in his barge from one bank of the river to the other and continuously doing this job for the last 17 years.

He said " I am quite familiar with the river and it is infested with crocodiles and the threat from the animal is increasing day to day."

The Disaster Management Centre constructed two enclosures for bathing, covered with wire mesh and galvanized pipes on either side of the river.

But the wire mesh has broken and there are gaping holes due to the fact that fire wood and other objects floating on the river have been constantly knocking against these enclosures leaving room for crocodiles to enter the places.

" I have seen 3-4 crocodiles floating in the river at times. On some days they come and hang around very close to the bathing place and there is one croc which rests on the river bank looking for a prey. If you don’t spot the animal and get near, one would be dragged away in no time and it is a very dangerous situation," he pointed out.

On the other hand the crocodile population has increased rapidly , Leslie said.

Chandrawathi (45) a housewife said that the people in these areas are in constant fear. They come to the river for bathing and to wash clothes and the enclosures built by the authorities have given them some hope.However the authorities should pay more attention to this menace. They need to immediately attend to repairs at these bathing places before more lives are lost , she said.

The government has spent over a million rupees to protect people from the crocodiles.

it is a heartening to hear that the authorities have thought of finding a solution to the crocodile menace even after so many lives have been lost.

The authorities have planned to hold a discussion about this issue before the Sinhala/Tamil New Year.

The District Secretary W.K.K .Ahtukorala said that improvised bathing places have been constructed in 29 Pradeshiya Sabha Divisions in the area and 30 more are planned to be constructed and waiting for grants.

She said they were very strong and safe and since 2008 no one who used them have lost their lives.

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