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 in summary:
Extraction of lime stone is done both legally and illegally: In Sri Lanka, Lime is used in the construction industry and for the manufacture of cement. Lime 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 small-scale production of illegally mined corals found along the coast.
Illegal extraction results in coastal erosion: This illegal industry caused severe environmental hazards and economic problems due to extensive sea erosion. 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. 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 government had to ban illegal quarrying to stop coastal erosion: 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 rate of quarrying is needed for sustainable use: 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.
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Good practice rating:
(1 for the best, 5 for the lowest score) |
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Sustainability
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Efficiency
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| 3 |
 Improvement in either the environment of economic condition with no harm to the other. |
3 |
Cost efficient. |
| 2 |
Sustainable over time (not one-off) |
Process |
| Adaptability |
3 |
Participation of the community |
| 2 |
Location adaptability (can the project be done in other places?) |
3 |
Participation of resource owners/users |
| 2 |
Socio-cultural adaptability. |
- |
Partnerships between various actors (Governments, NGO, Academia, Private) |
| 2 |
Level of development adaptability. |
2 |
Degree of coordination and cooperation between government departments. |
| 2 |
Style of government adaptability. |
2 |
Ability to attract political interest/support |
| 2 |
Degree of decentralization adaptability. |
- |
Procedures for feedback and review. |
Comments on this example:
There are other sources that can be used as alternative to the conventional limestone used, for example, using a substance, so called 'Crystalline limestone', extracted from a younger generation of corals, as raw material instead. Because extracting lime plaster from this particular coral is less detrimental to the environment.
Research was also originated on finding an alternate for coral based lime. Dolamitic Hydrated Lime is considered as a good alternate. Coral lime deposits are normally limited to one pat of the country but Dolamitic Lime are more evenly distributed through out the country. However, there are certain drawbacks to the use of Dolamitic Lime. The type of limestone is considered poor quality when compared to coral based limestone.
Research was carried out for quality improvements. The research included an awareness programme for popularization of Dolamite Hydrated Lime, to improve market acceptance and improve the production technology. The research carried out has been very successful and a demonstration kiln using Dolamic Hydrated Lime has been established.
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Sustainability of the project:
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Awareness and visions: As we can see in this example, the government of Sri Lanka has decided to ban illegal mining activities by the rural people even though the decision will affect the livelihood of those people because if the activities were allowed to continue, irreversible damage to the coral reef condition will inevitably occur. Apparently, the government had to make a decision to between the people and the environment, and this time the people have been chosen to sacrifice. Surely, the livelihood of these people could be improved if they are introduced to other income alternatives.
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Adaptability of the project to other situations:
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| Process of decision making and implementation: |
Policies and measures: Restrictions on the removal of coral and the operation of limekiln ware established in the Coast Conservation Amendment Act of 1988. The enforcement has not been successfully carried out due to socio-economic distress. Not until 1990, that efforts were launched to provide alternative employment and improve well being conditions. However, problems of illegal removal of coral reefs still prevail due to inadequacy of police force in monitoring.
In view to restrict the use of coral lime in the construction industry, the government decided on the following;
- To prohibit the use of coral based lime, used in building construction work in the public sector and by provincial councils.
- To advice all relevant government institutions to replace coral lime with alternative lime varieties
Partnerships between various actors: In addition, the Ministry of Forestry & Environment together with the Ministry in charge of construction conducted awareness workshops with the target group of engineers, architects, and contractors as a pre-requisite for implementing the decision.
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Documentation: |
Literature or other written project review references
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Source of Information: |
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Contacts: |
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Submitted by: |
L.S.G. Tillekeratne
Additional Director General
Sri Lank Export Development Board
and updated by (September 2000)
Arlene Kumaradasa
154/9 Vijithapura, Mawatha
Walpola, Angoda
Sri Lanka
Tel: 941-883098/ 875327 (office)
Fax: 941-589369 (C/o SACEP)
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