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
Culture
Cultural
Ecology
Pinga
Oya
Economics
Political
Ecology
Politics
Political
Economics
BACKGROUND OF STUDY AREA
2008/ DS Reports
Divisional
Secretariat
Akurana
Pujapitiya
Pathadumbara
Harispattuwa
Total
Population
59317
57644
85721
83935
Sinhalese
Tamils
Muslims
(%)
(%)
(%)
18260
3695
37213
(30.7 )
(6.2)
(62.7)
46864
1805
8921
(81.2)
(3.1)
(15.4)
64612
3029
17759
(75.3)
(3.5)
(20.7)
73149
1906
8669
(87.1)
(2.2)
(10.3)
Population
Density
Daily SW
Generation ( K)/
(Sq/km)
(Only in PS area)
1931
4500
1067
1000
1884
1000
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
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 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
WATER QUALITY IN PINGA OYA…….
The average water quality data of tributary (Pinga Oya) entering Mahaweli
River near the Polgolla Reservoir
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)
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
32.48
31.07
Ethnicity ( shop-owners)
Ethnicity
N
Mean
Sinhala
60
32.70
Muslims
86
31.37
Gender (households)
Gender
N
Male
113
Female
87
Mean
33.07
35.56
t value
Sig. (p=.05)
4.58
.03
t value
4.32
t value
8.57
Sig. (p=.05)
.04
Sig. (p=.05)
.004
ATTITUDE MEAN COMPARISON…….
Age (households)
Age
N
Below 35
84
Above 35
109
Mean
34.20
34.84
Monthly Income ( households)
Income
N
Mean
Below 25000/102 34.69
Above 25000/93
34.74
Households & shop-owners
Unit
N
Mean
Household
200
34.64
Shop-owners
150
31.61
t value
4.78
t value
.002
t value
8.912
Sig. (p=.05)
.030
Sig. (p=.05)
.967
Sig. (p=.05)
.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
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
______________________________________
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
____________________________________________
Buildings constructed violates reservation rules
Householders (%)
Shop-owners(%)
Yes
166(83)
134 (89.3)
Reasons for violation
No
17 (8.5)
4 (2.7)
- Not enough land (42%)
Response
No Response
Total
17 (8.5)
12( 8)
200 (100)
150 (100)
- Business purpose (33%)
- Political support (32%)
- Bribery (24%)
- Selfishness (18%)
Political influence on proper conservation of Pinga Oya (Shop-owners)
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Yes
No
No Response
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)
50
45
40
Reasons for violation
35
30
25
- Not enough land (42%)
20
- Business purpose (33%)
- Political support (32%)
- Bribery (24%)
- Selfishness (18%)
15
10
5
0
Yes
No
No Response
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
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Year
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Registration of buildings constructed in Akurana PS
from 1963 t0 2009
140
120
Buildings
100
80
60
40
20
0
1960
1970
1980
Year 1990
2000
2010
2020
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