{"id":30348,"date":"2014-06-03T15:33:18","date_gmt":"2014-06-03T19:33:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=30348"},"modified":"2014-06-03T23:57:46","modified_gmt":"2014-06-04T03:57:46","slug":"unbridled-commercialism-is-rapidly-invading-and-destroying-colombos-beautiful-and-peaceful-residential-areas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=30348","title":{"rendered":"Unbridled Commercialism is Rapidly Invading and Destroying Colombo’s Beautiful and Peaceful Residential Areas."},"content":{"rendered":"

By<\/p>\n

Seely de Silva<\/strong><\/p>\n

The public areas of Colombo are being taken care of, with the boundary walls surrounding government buildings and offices coming down, good roads, lovely pavements, beautiful areas for walking and relaxing, lovely lawns and paths and gorgeous trees and flowers to feast our eyes on. It is absolutely marvellous when the true natural potential of a country is brought out into the open. Well done and many thanks for all this!<\/p>\n

Colombo\u2019s residential areas used to be quiet and peaceful with no hassle. Colombo\u2019s residents deserved a beautiful trouble free haven to live in, for most were hard working professionals helping the economy and giving jobs to hundreds of people, owning and running estates, factories, businesses and most importantly, paying taxes to the government.<\/p>\n

But now, very, very tall buildings are allowed to be built right in the middle of quiet residential areas, sometimes right on the boundaries of bungalows. How vulgar! These monstrosities block out the wind and fresh air and sunlight, making homes dark and gloomy. They also cause cracks and damages to the neighbouring houses and destroy the privacy of home life. Is it not time to prevent people from building tall structures in residential areas? All buildings should be constructed at least four feet away from the boundaries so that no two houses are pasted together creating water leaks between the buildings making walls damp, and so that one does not have to step into your neighbour\u2019s premises to repair your roof, gutters or paint your wall etc.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Commercial activity is also allowed in residential areas. There are restaurants and hotels with prostitutes and loud music annoying home owners, shops and offices appearing out of nowhere next to our homes with their and their customers\u2019 vehicles parked down our lanes and in front of our homes, even on private lanes, causing much nuisance and irritability on a daily basis. Is this development? Is it good for our health? Hotels and hospitals already built in residential areas are allowed to expand and built with complete disregard for home owners in the vicinity. What is going on? Who is doing this to Colombo?<\/p>\n

My goodness, every Municipality in this country needs town planners with a heart. Town planning is a course crying out to be taught in our universities. We need caring, concerned people at the U.D.A. and municipality to facilitate happy, peaceful living.<\/p>\n

It seems that as in communist countries, the rich and hardworking citizens are discriminated against. Of course jealousy is the one reason why Sri Lanka will never really develop in the right way! In Sri Lanka when somebody does good work for the country especially in the public sector, obstacles are placed in his or her path. Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam of the Colombo Municipality, Health Division was doing an absolutely excellent job cleaning out all eateries and restaurants. Let him finish cleaning up every single restaurant or place providing food to people. Anybody should be able to eat from any food outlet, big or small.<\/p>\n

Why is it that when a government school in Colombo reaches its pinnacle, its good teachers are transferred? Likewise, why are Colombo\u2019s nice residential areas being destroyed? Make all schools in all districts super. Give all districts very nice residential areas. Have high standards of living in all towns and cities in every district, instead of destroying Colombo. Change your attitude Sri Lanka and respect and serve all people equally and learn to respect people helping Sri Lanka\u2019s economy!<\/p>\n

Colombo has to be planned right now and all commercial activities other than grocery shops, petrol sheds etc. should be removed from residential areas. The building of flats, apartments and office buildings should be totally banned in residential areas immediately. People should not be allowed to rent out their houses in residential areas as offices and shops. There are so many people wandering around in residential areas, parking their vehicles in front of homes, taking up all the parking area meant for visitors to houses etc. Brokers and builders of high rise buildings are like vultures waiting for land to be available for sale to destroy Colombo\u2019s residential areas. What mixed up horrible neighbourhoods have been created in Colombo 3, 4, 5, 7 and parts of 2, 6 and 8 which used to be residential areas once.<\/p>\n

It is time to demarcate very clearly and develop residential areas and commercial areas and also areas for apartments, away from each other. It may be ok to have pockets of a group of shops and restaurants in between residential areas. Is it not better for Sri Lanka to expand horizontally and not vertically? Vertical expansion needs far more electricity than horizontal. This is not Singapore. Singapore must be the size of Colombo. Sri Lanka is so much bigger and has so much more space. In Singapore schoolchildren are seen wandering around shopping malls after school in their uniforms. I suppose for them it is better than being cooped up in an apartment!<\/p>\n

Every house in Sri Lanka should have a small garden.<\/p>\n

Why does Colombo need so many shops? The new area being developed behind the Independence Square could be made to house all the restaurants of Colombo, with enough parking, moving them out of residential areas. Fort should be made into a beautiful commercial hub with shops, cafes and restaurants and walkways and banks etc. Build a beautiful park with open air cafes and other stalls!<\/p>\n

In fact, agricultural areas should be demarcated. Garment factories should be on the outskirts of towns and cities and other factories should also be located in areas where nothing can be grown.<\/p>\n

But first, someone please stop the destruction of Colombo\u2019s residential areas! Owners of Colombo\u2019s houses should come back from where ever they are and live in them, bringing back graciousness to Colombo\u2019s heart, its residential areas, once again.
\n
\nCOURTESY:THE ISLAND<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Seely de Silva The public areas of Colombo are being taken care of, with the boundary walls surrounding government buildings and offices coming down, good roads, lovely pavements, beautiful areas for walking and relaxing, lovely lawns and paths and gorgeous trees and flowers to feast our eyes on. It is absolutely marvellous when the …<\/p>\n

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