The well published ‘Environmental Impact Study’ by USAID totally ignored the fact that Hundreds of Thousands of these damaging bags would be introduced into the water as sand bags by defense contractors CH2MHILL.
The cheap bags were used in construction of the new bridge, as shown above.
Hessian or coconut (degradable) bags were suggested by our Arugam.info representative at the time, but the request was totally ignored.
Following recent floods, many bags were dislodged and some have been found washed up on the beaches as far away as Crocodile rock.
Fishing people fear that the unraveled bag strands could be mistaken to glass type worms and swallowed by fish or prawns. This would cause a further environmental disaster.
It is certain that Thousands of bags will never be recovered!
They will pollute the area for many years to come.
Also, one wonders, if such environmental damaging practices would have been allowed to take place in the USA.
Dislodged bags hastily covered up, as shown above.
Photos Copy right: www.sri-lanka-board.de
Just been at Aragum.
Seen all the bags - disgusting!
Hope they - the Yanks will clean it up.