Pinga Oya Symposium 2013

THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC & POLITICAL FACTORS AFFECTING

SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN PINGA OYA CATCHMENT

Dr. M. T. M. MaheesSenior Lecturer in Environmental Sociology

Department of Sociology University of Colombo

Pinga Oya

MahaweliRiver

THE MAP OF PINGA OYA CATCHMENT WITH FOUR DS

Water pollution of Mahaweli

Unauthorized constructions in Pinga Oya

Water pollution in Pinga Oya

INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO ECOLOGY OF PINGA OYA

Pinga Oya

Politics

Culture

Economics

Political Ecology

Cultural Ecology

Political Econom

ics

BACKGROUND OF STUDY AREA2008/ DS Reports

Divisional Secretariat

Total Population

Sinhalese

(%)

Tamils

(%)

Muslims

(%)

Population Density

(Sq/km)

Daily SW Generation ( K)/

(Only in PS area)

Akurana 59317 18260

(30.7 )

3695

(6.2)

37213

(62.7)

1931 4500

Pujapitiya 57644 46864

(81.2)

1805

(3.1)

8921

(15.4)

1067 1000

Pathadumbara 85721 64612

(75.3)

3029

(3.5)

17759

(20.7)

1884 1000

Harispattuwa 83935 73149

(87.1)

1906

(2.2)

8669

(10.3)

1413 3000

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

Secondary dataObservationHousehold questionnaire survey (200)

Shop-owners' questionnaire survey (150)In-depth interviews (30)Stakeholders analysis (04)Informal discussions (05)

Explorative & qualitative (social science) study through quantitative findings (of natural science) based on case study through interdisciplinary approaches

WATER QUALITY IN PINGA OYA

Water quality in Pinga Oya by Gamunu Herath (2003)

• DO decreased from 5mg/L to 4mg/L and

• NO3 – 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

Temperature /(oC) 26.1

pH 7.1

D.O. /(mg/L) 3.2

Turbidity /(NTU) 34.6

Suspended Solids /(mg/L) 53.0

BOD5 /(mg/L) 1.2

COD /(mg/L) 43.9

N-NO3- /(mg/L) 1.0

PO4- 3/(mg/L )

0.1

Faecal Coliforms

/(100 ml)

2790

WATER QUALITY IN PINGA OYA…….The average water quality data of tributary (Pinga Oya) entering Mahaweli River near the Polgolla Reservoir

Source: Werellagama, 2000

GIS MAP PREPARED TO INDICATE BUILDING DENSITY

CRUCIAL FACTORS INFLUENCING SW DISPOSAL

Solid Waste Disposal

Cultural Notion of Dirt

Social Construction of Risk

Population & Building Density

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 N Mean t value Sig. (p=.05)

  Below A/L 64 32.48 Above A/L 82 31.07 4.58 .03

Ethnicity ( shop-owners)Ethnicity N Mean t value Sig. (p=.05)

  Sinhala 60 32.70Muslims 86 31.37 4.32 .04

Gender (households)Gender N Mean t value Sig. (p=.05)Male 113 33.07Female 87 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 34.69Above 25000/- 93 34.74 .002 .967

Households & shop-ownersUnit N Mean t value Sig. (p=.05)Household 200 34.64Shop-owners 150 31.61 8.912 .003

The relationship between business type and SW generation in shops

The relationship between employment and household SW generation

The relationship between household income groups and daily household solid waste generation

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 0.472

Number of cases 200 Significance at a level of 0.05

WHICH CATEGORY OF PEOPLE DISPOSES SOLID WASTE INTO PINGA OYA (Households)

__________________________________________________

Frequency Percent__________________________________________________

Rich people 46 23.0Middle class people 25 12.5Poor people 2 1.0All 117 58.5Other 10 5.0Total 200 100______________________________________

People discharge black water directly into Pinga Oya

_________________________________________________

Response Household (%) Shop-owners (%) _________________________________________________ Yes 136 (68) 64(43) No 22 (11) 56(37) No Response 42 (21) 30(20) Total 200(100) 150(100)

Reasons for discharging black water into Pinga Oya(n=350) ___________________________________________________________

Reasons Per cent _______________________________________ Easiness 10.5 Physical proximity 24 Discharging sewerage during rain 16 No facilities for proper treatment 8.5 Selfishness 13 Poor knowledge 10 Others 09 ____________________________________________

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Yes No No Response

Political influence on proper conservation of Pinga Oya (Shop-owners)

Response Householders (%) Shop-owners(%)

Yes 166(83)  134 (89.3)

No 17 (8.5)  4 (2.7)

No Response 17 (8.5) 12( 8)

Total 200 (100)  150 (100)

Buildings constructed violates reservation rules

Reasons for violation

- Not enough land (42%) - Business purpose (33%)- Political support (32%)- Bribery (24%)- Selfishness (18%)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Yes No No Response

Political influence on proper Environmental Mgt of Pinga Oya (Shop-owners)

Response Householders (%) Shop-owners(%)

Yes 166(83)  134 (89.3)

No 17 (8.5)  4 (2.7)

No Response 17 (8.5) 12( 8)

Total 200 (100)  150 (100)

Buildings constructed violates reservation rules

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

Registration of buildings constructed in Akurana PS from 1963 t0 2009

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