Water issue in Bandagiriya

The occasion where the Rathupaswala people faced a water-problem last year, the people there had to encounter hostility and that incident still remains in the memories of most people. Nobody of course wishes such a situation being repeated.

The protest launched by the people of Bandagiriya in Hambanthota Pallemalala area last 12th asking for even a drop of drinking water has still not met with any solution. Actually, 1600 families of Bandagiriya area got on to the roads asking for some drinking water which in fact is an essential requirement. But the final outcome of that incident on that day was a clash between the police and the people.  4 police officers, 3 civilians faced injury as a result while 12 individuals were taken into police custody. It is indeed a tragic situation where villagers of Bandagiriya were suffering with no pure drinking water at their disposal for 2 years and so far no administrative officer of the district nor a political leader has mediated in bringing solace to their problem. Even at present, 50 patients suffering from kidney problems have been identified within this locality.

Villagers were motivated to engage in a protest by creating a barrier on the Hambanthota - Bandagiriya main road for the first time near the co-operative junction. Though the Hambanthota Provincial Council Secretary arrived at the place after about an hour and gave the assurance that action would be taken to provide a solution by September 29th, there was no solution seen until October 12th in which instance the villagers had got together on either side of Colombo - Kataragama main road on the morning of 12th and had thus engaged in a protest.

Even though the officers of Hambanthota Police Station strived to bring the situation under control it was unsuccessful and officers of 7 police stations in the district had to be summoned to the place. Since the protestors had engaged in the protest for a period of close upon 4 hours, there had been a traffic block seen on the road concerned. As such, a long queue of vehicles stationed motionless was to be observed on either side. Later the Senior Police Superintendent of Tangalla Mr. T.C.A. Dhanapala and Tangalla Deputy Police Superintendent Mr. Sudath Masingha addressed the protestors and had requested a time of half hour to call a responsible person of authority to be brought there and the protestors who consented to it thus gave way for the traffic that was so far blocked,  to proceed thereafter.

Neither the government agent nor anybody attached to the political authority arrived there until evening as such. When steps were taken to contact powerful Ministers as well as MPs representing Hambanthota, the callers were made to understand that the former would be arriving there; however, they had later switched off their mobile phones, it was learned. Because there had been no authority available within the district the protestors had once again erected a barrier across the road and engaged in the protest and as a result a period of nearly 4 hours transport activities on the road once again was hampered and for this reason as no solution was apparently available the officers used their powers and tried to evacuate the people lying across the road at which moment a clash took place between the police and protestors. During the commotion some elements engaging in the protest had aimed stones and as a result 4 officers including the Hambanthota Headquarters Police Inspector sustained injury while 3 civilians who too were injured were admitted to Hambanthota Hospital. Buses plying on the road too faced minor damage from stones aimed. 12 individuals had been arrested later and are expected to be produced before courts. Subsequently these 12 people were released on bail. What the magistrate said in that instance was that this was a protest carried out on justified grounds and they would be released on bail.

The Bandagiriya water issue thus still remains in that same position and if in case the problem goes as far as the Rathupaswala issue; it would be the political and administrative authority who would then be responsible.

Photos and report -- Ambalanthota - Ajith Pushpakumara