Whither Clean Sri Lanka: Decline in road safety and proliferation of waste dumping

Considering the instances where proliferation of waste dumping is increasing, and the ongoing deaths and injuries due to maniacal driving by bus drivers, and others, one cannot but feel that the much-publicised Clean Sri Lanka concept has not yet got off ground as desired. The Government needs to lift their game or refrain from giving people hope in anticipation of action that follows words.

The following are a few illustrative examples of what should not be happening now. They demonstrate how some people do not care for others, and they question the impact so far of Clean Sri Lanka within the society.

Mirihana marshlands being filled by organised groups – (https://www.dailymirror.lk/recomended-news/Mirihana-marshlands-being-filled-by-organised-groups/277-305756)

Illustrative waste dump in residential area at Ratnajothi Mawatha, Nawala

Bus crash in Warakapola: 40 injured, 1 in critical condition (https://www.newsfirst.lk/2025/03/22/bus-crash-in-warakapola-40-injured-1-in-critical-condition)

Bus falls down precipice: seven dead, 20 injured

Seven passengers were killed and 20 were injured when a bus skidded off the road and fell down a precipice at 13th mile post on the Moneragala-Badulla Road at Passara this morning, said the Police (https://archives1.dailynews.lk/tags/bus-accident).

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Five people have died in separate road accidents reported across the country within the past 24 hours. 

Two people, aged 53 and 46, died while two others sustained injuries following a collision between a three-wheeler and a car in Edaduwawa, Peradeniya. Meanwhile, a couple from Paragahakotuwa, died in a motorcycle accident along the Kuliyapitiya-Hettipola road in Kadawalagedara.

In a separate incident, a 58-year-old pottery vendor from Thimbiriwewa, Wariyapola, was fatally struck by a bus in Bambaragammana along the Wariyapola-Puttalam road. The bus driver has been taken into custody (https://www.newsfirst.lk/2025/03/31/five-killed-in-road-accidents-within-24-hours).

In two previous articles titled, “Clean Sri Lanka – cleansing the soul of the country” (https://www.ft.lk/columns/ Clean-Sri-Lanka-cleansing-the-soul-of-the-country/4-772164), and “Buses do not kill; bus drivers do: One dies every 3 hours in road accidents” (https://www.ft.lk/columns/Buses-do-not-kill-bus-drivers-do--One-dies-every-3-hours-in-road-accidents/4-773051), the writer drew the attention of readers to the broader concept on Clean Sri Lanka as outlined by President Disanayake when he stated, “This endeavour goes beyond merely cleaning up the environment. It aspires to restore the deeply eroded and deteriorated social and environmental fabric of our motherland. We aim to create cleanliness and rejuvenation across all sectors of society” unveiling the Clean Sri Lanka initiative on 1 January 2025.

Illustrative waste dump in residential area at Ratnajothi Mawatha, Nawala

The President mentioned a three-step plan which he stated is much more than a physical cleanliness of the country. It is in fact cleansing the soul of the country and restoring the lost values of society and the country. The Presidents full speech has been reported widely (https://www.ft.lk/top-story/President-promises-new-economic-policy-framework/26-771307https://www.ft.lk/top-story/President-promises-new-economic-policy-framework/26-771307).

The President of the country cannot singlehandedly lead and manage a huge initiative such as the Clean Sri Lanka project which requires a substantial cultural shift in how people think, and their value system. It is a project that involves or should involve the entire country. While the Clean Sri Lanka website alludes to this, it is not clear as to how this is to be achieved. Tasks and responsibilities should be devolved through discussion and agreement, not just to the political establishment and the government sector but even to the non-government sector including religious institutions. It is important however not to raise expectations too high in the short-term knowing the enormity of challenges that requires a major mindset change that is needed to think differently about what Clean Sri Lanka really means. Raising people’s hopes and aspirations too high in the short term and promising a mountain and delivering a mole hill is inadvisable from a context broader than this project for the President and the Government as scepticism about promises could become widespread and undermine good intent.

Unsafe roads and mounting deaths and injuries from road accidents

The article titled “Buses do not kill; bus drivers do: One dies every 3 hours in road accidents (https://www.ft.lk/columns/Buses-do-not-kill - bus-drivers-do-- One-dies-every-3-hours-in-road-accidents/4-773051), highlighted the high road crash fatality and injury rates on Sri Lanka’s roads and how they were undermining the economic growth of the country. Better driving and respecting others on the road including pedestrians needs to be seen from the context of what values people hold as they are what will lead to respect and kindness to others. Reckless driving is the opposite of that. 

It was pointed out that the estimated annual road crash deaths per capita in Sri Lanka was twice the average rate in high-income countries and five times that of the best performing countries in the world. Available data indicated an average of 38,000 crashes annually which result in around 3,000 fatalities and 8,000 serious injuries. 

Sri Lanka has the worst road fatality rate among its immediate neighbours in the South Asia region as reported by the World Bank (Delivering Road Safety in Sri Lanka Leadership Priorities and Initiatives to 2030-International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank 2020 -https://openknowledge. worldbank.org /server/api/core/bitstreams/562748cf-426a-5645-95a2-d1dc2fe0f6d9/content).

Errant drivers, both bus drivers, truck drivers, three-wheel drivers and private vehicle drivers, have made driving and being passengers in vehicles unsafe for them and others on the road. A recent incident where such a driver speeding at more than 160 km killed a father and mother travelling in the vehicle, leaving three children orphaned illustrates how the mind of some people works and how distant they are from kindness and concern for the safety of others. While the Police appear to be checking driving licences, revenue documents and insurance papers, it is not clear whether speeding and errant driving is within the radar of the Police judging by the performance of some drivers of buses, trucks, cars, three-wheelers and motorbikes. The question now perhaps is whether the community cares about these, whether officials care about these, whether the Police care about these and whether politicians really care about these pressing issues.

If errant and irresponsible driving continues unabated and the law enforcement officials do not take action to punish such drivers, it may not be long before the patience of a frustrated public who are at the receiving end of such inhuman behaviour wears thin and they take matters into their own hands. Another Aragalaya might be brewing unless firm action is taken to arrest the decline in road safety arising from reckless driving.