Community stakeholder viewpoints on issues of urbanisation along the river Ma Oya, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Rivers situated in peri-urban landscapes are prime natural resource bases supplying the construction industry associated with urbanisation. The study analyses and presents the river Ma Oya community stakeholders views on the impacts of river resource uses. Systematic stakeholder consultations revealed that while the river is the source for water supply for many cities, sand and clay mining for construction industry and dumping waste are the major sectors causing negative impacts. Essential remedial measures proposed are fair and effective intervention of Government authorities, stakeholder (including politicians) education together with technical measures and economic instruments to internalize the externalities caused by social and environmental degradation.