Pri's blog

Ajith - contemplating the Beira Introducing Ajith, who I met this morning on my walk.  He comes often from Kompanniya Veediya where he lives to sit on this bench and watch the Beira Lake.  He is very happy that it has been cleaned up.  It was an urban jungle before, he told me.  There were shanties alongside, no room to walk around, and the lake itself was badly polluted.  They are removing the shanties in Kompanniya Veediya too, I asked.  Yes, he said, this area will become the residence of kings.  Me:where will the people go?   Ajith: Some are being sent to Avissawella, and some will get houses nearby, in Wanthamulla and other places.   Me: Isn't Avisawella too far?   Ajith: Yes of course,  but you see the governing party has not won the Colombo Municipal Council elections, it's always been UNP.  So there is a need to reconfigure the electorate and send some people away. And of course there is the importance of th...