Pinga Oya Symposium 2013 THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC POLITICAL

Pinga Oya Symposium 2013 THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC & POLITICAL FACTORS AFFECTING SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN PINGA OYA CATCHMENT Dr. M. T. M. Mahees Senior Lecturer in Environmental Sociology Department of Sociology University of Colombo

THE MAP OF PINGA OYA CATCHMENT WITH FOUR DS Pinga Oya Mahaweli River

Water pollution of Mahaweli

Unauthorized constructions in Pinga Oya

Water pollution in Pinga Oya

INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO ECOLOGY OF PINGA OYA

BACKGROUND OF STUDY AREA 2008/ DS Reports Divisional Secretariat Total Population Sinhalese Tamils Muslims (%) (%) Population Daily SW Density Generation ( K)/ (Sq/km) Akurana Harispattuwa 85721 83935 37213 (6. 2) 46864 1805 8921 (3. 1) 3029 17759 (3. 5) 1906 8669 (87. 1) (2. 2) (10. 3) 1067 1000 1884 1000 1413 3000 (20. 7) 73149 4500 (15. 4) 64612 1931 (62. 7) (75. 3) Pathadumbara 3695 (81. 2) 57644 18260 (30. 7 ) Pujapitiya 59317 (Only in PS area)

ENVIRONMENTAL & OTHER ISSUES IN PINGA OYA • Pinga Oya being one of the major tributaries of Mahaweli, the water pollution in Pinga Oya directly affects Mahaweli River. • Waste disposal into Pinga Oya • Discharging of sewerage into Pinga Oya • Illegal constructions on the river basin • Infrastructure facilities for illegal constructions • Political influence and conflicts among the stakeholders due to environmental issues in Pinga Oya • Inter-ethnic contradictions and conflict tension due to water pollution

OBJECTIVE • The main objective of this study is to examine the relationship between the socio-economic and political factor with the environmental problems of Pinga Oya

Methodology Explorative & qualitative (social science) study through quantitative findings (of natural science) based on case study through interdisciplinary approaches Secondary data Observation Household questionnaire survey (200) Shop-owners' questionnaire survey (150) In-depth interviews (30) Stakeholders analysis (04) Informal discussions (05)

WATER QUALITY IN PINGA OYA Water quality in Pinga Oya by Gamunu Herath (2003) • DO decreased from 5 mg/L to 4 mg/L and • NO 3 – N increased from 0. 5 mg/l to 1. 75 mg/l • Fecal colifrm levels as high as 7500 pfu / 100 ml. There is a strong relationship between fecal pollution and human settlements indicating frequent biological contamination from human excreta and solid waste discharged from houses and shops

WATER QUALITY IN PINGA OYA……. The average water quality data of tributary (Pinga Oya) entering Mahaweli River near the Polgolla Reservoir Temperature /(o. C) 26. 1 p. H 7. 1 D. O. /(mg/L) 3. 2 Turbidity /(NTU) 34. 6 Suspended Solids /(mg/L) 53. 0 BOD 5 /(mg/L) 1. 2 COD /(mg/L) 43. 9 N-NO 3 - /(mg/L) 1. 0 PO 4 - 3/(mg/L ) 0. 1 Faecal Coliforms /(100 ml) Source: Werellagama, 2000 2790

GIS MAP PREPARED TO INDICATE BUILDING DENSITY

CRUCIAL FACTORS INFLUENCING SW DISPOSAL Population & Building Density Solid Waste Disposal Social Construction of Risk Cultural Notion of Dirt

KEY FINDINGS • Households (80%)and Women (94%)are more aware of environmental issues of Pinga Oya than Shop-owners (60%)and Male(78%) • Households, female, elders, Sinhalese, & respondents of lower education level hold stronger environmental attitude and concern of the area. • Political economy of the area is crucial in determining problems in Pinga Oya and other environmental issues • Economically rich and politically powerful groups cause more damage to Pinga Oya

KEY FINDINGS… • Cultural notion of dirt, endogamous marriage, & extended family affect the ecological system of area • More political influence on construction which is found to be directly linked with many ecological crisis • Political favoritism and corruption disturbs proper conservation of Pinga Oya • Informal mechanisms are powerful than formal institutes

MEAN COMPARISON OF ATTITUDE Education (shop-owners) Education Below A/L Above A/L N 64 82 Mean t value Sig. (p=. 05) 32. 48 31. 07 4. 58 . 03 Ethnicity ( shop-owners) Ethnicity N Sinhala 60 Muslims 86 Gender (households) Gender N Male 113 Female 87 Mean t value Sig. (p=. 05) 32. 70 31. 37 4. 32 . 04 Mean t value Sig. (p=. 05) 33. 07 35. 56 8. 57 . 004

ATTITUDE MEAN COMPARISON……. Age (households) Age N Mean t value Sig. (p=. 05) Below 35 84 34. 20 Above 35 109 34. 84 4. 78 . 030 Monthly Income ( households) Income N Mean t value Sig. (p=. 05) Below 25000/102 34. 69 Above 25000/ 93 34. 74. 002 . 967 Households & shop-owners Unit N Mean t value Sig. (p=. 05) Household 200 34. 64 Shop-owners 150 31. 61 8. 912 . 003

The relationship between business type and SW generation in shops 30 Daily SW Generation at Shops (Kl) 25 20 15 10 5 0 Hotel & Bakery Fruits & Veg Grocery Dress & Saloon Types of Business Meat & Fish Hardware &Spare Communication Others

The relationship between employment and household SW generation 2000 1800 1600 Daily HSW Generation (Kg) 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Government Foreign Business Self-employment Employment Labourer Other Not-employed

The relationship between household income groups and daily household solid waste generation 2500 Daily HSW Generation (Kg) 2000 1500 1000 500 0 <10000 - 15000 15001 - 25000 Income Groups (Rs) 25001 - 35000 >35000

Factors affecting household solid waste generation (Regression) Variable Coefficient Sd error p- value Weekly consumption of food (Rs) 0. 362 0. 014 0. 005 Floor space of house (sq/ft) -0. 039 0. 094 0. 741 Family size 0. 560 42. 111 0. 000 Gender 0. 064 124. 026 0. 527 Ethnicity 0. 170 156. 392 0. 169 _____________________________ Adjusted R Squared Number of cases Significance at a level of 0. 05 0. 472 200

WHICH CATEGORY OF PEOPLE DISPOSES SOLID WASTE INTO PINGA OYA (Households) _________________________ Frequency Percent _________________________ Rich people 46 23. 0 Middle class people 25 12. 5 Poor people 2 1. 0 All 117 58. 5 Other 10 5. 0 Total 200 100 ___________________

Buildings constructed violates reservation rules Response Householders (%) Yes 166(83) No 17 (8. 5) No Response Total Shop-owners(%) 134 (89. 3) Reasons for violation 4 (2. 7) 17 (8. 5) 12( 8) 200 (100) 150 (100) - Not enough land (42%) - Business purpose (33%) - Political support (32%) - Bribery (24%) - Selfishness (18%) Political influence on proper conservation of Pinga Oya (Shop-owners)

Buildings constructed violates reservation rules Householders (%) Shop-owners(%) Yes 166(83) 134 (89. 3) No 17 (8. 5) 4 (2. 7) No Response 17 (8. 5) 12( 8) 200 (100) 150 (100) Response Total Political influence on proper Environmental Mgt of Pinga Oya (Shop-owners) Reasons for violation - Not enough land (42%) - Business purpose (33%) - Political support (32%) - Bribery (24%) - Selfishness (18%)

Issuing passport application by Akurana DS from 2000 to 2009 180 Number of Applications 160 140 120 100 Middle-East 80 All Countries 60 40 20 0 1998 2000 2002 2004 Year 2006 2008 2010

Registration of buildings constructed in Akurana PS from 1963 t 0 2009 140 120 Buildings 100 80 60 40 20 0 1953 1963 1973 Year 1983 1993 2003 2013

CONCLUDING REMARKS • Women and households who have close interaction with local environment are more aware of environmental crisis of area • Households, female, elders, Sinhalese and people with lower education level hold stronger environmental attitude and concern • A positive link of employment, livelihood and income with solid waste generation and environmental conservation of Pinga Oya • The political economy and business culture of area are strongly influential on environmental problems of Pinga Oya catchment. • Although women, informal mechanism( Mosque) and local culture are important, they are not properly utilized to control SW generation and water pollution of Pinga Oya • Political influences are found crucial in maintaining environmental rules and regulations of Pinga Oya catchment

Acknowledgments - Professor C. Sivayokanathan, - Professor B. F. N. Basnayaka, - Crossing Boundaries Project - Dept of Agricultural Engineering & PGIA of University of Peradeniya - Dr. Thusiatha Amarasekara, Ms. Kumudini Kumarihami, Mrs. Marliya Subair, Mrs. Prabashini Jayasinghe