Problem overview:

     Awareness and visions: Illegal quarrying of lime stone by villagers has raised awareness for adverse impacts on coastal resources.

     Policies and measures: The government decided to put an end to illegal quarrying even though it will effect the livelihood of the people and reduce supply of lime stone.

Background:

      Finding the right balance between the need for development on one hand and environmental protection on the other

      In Sri Lanka Lime is used in the form of lime mortar, in the construction industry for plastering of brick walls, specifically for the outer plaster. Lime mortar is a mixture of quick lime, water and sand that hardens through a chemical process by conversion to Calcium Hydroxide and thereafter, to Calcium Carbonate.

      In Sri Lanka, it is also used for the manufacture of cement. For this purpose, lime is baked with clays and other ingredients to produce cement clinker.

      Lime that is used for the production of Cement and also for the plastering of brick walls is generally obtained from large out crops of pure lime stone (and also dolomitic lime stone) that is found inland. Quarrying of limestone is carried out in conformity with environmental regulations, in large quarries.

      However, in coastal areas of the South of Sri Lanka, rural people have earned a living by the small-scale production of lime in primitive type lime kilns. For this purpose, they used illegally mined corals found along the coast.

      This illegal industry caused severe environmental hazards and economic problems due to extensive sea erosion resulting from the extraction of corals. Sea erosion is an acute problem in some coastal areas in the South of Sri Lanka. The problem has been further compounded due to breeding of mosquitoes as a result of accumulating water in the pits that are left unfilled after mining of corals causing health hazards.

      Due to the above reasons mining of corals by the break up of coral reefs and also the setting up of kilns that manufacture lime using corals have been banned in recent times. The decision has affected the livelihood of many people who were dependent on the income from this illegal activity.

      The above activity represents an example of poverty in developing countries which is one of the main causes for rapid deterioration of the environment. The action taken to ban this activity represents finding the right balance between the needs of development on the one hand and environmental protection on the other as envisaged in the Vision of Sri Lankas Presidential Policy Statement.

      Optimal use of natural resources is a necessity to sustain the development process of developing countries, such as Sri Lanka at a desirable rate. However, in this instance the adverse effects on the environment, and through it on the economy as a whole, out weighed the economic benefits to those engaged in coral mining and the lime making industry in the coastal areas of Sri Lanka.

     Sea erosion is the most serious environmental issue identified in the region. It has been proved that the immediate cause for aggravation of coastal erosion in the Southern Region in the country is coral mining. People in those areas are used to produce coral based lime in order to meet the high demand for lime arising in the construction industry. Banning of coral mining alone will not prevent the exploitation of the resource, unless action has also been taken to provide substitutes and alternate employment opportunities for the people who are engaged in coral mining.