🚀 go-pugleaf

Two short video programmes demonstrating the power of
communication has been recently produced by The Mihikatha Institute,
an environmental advocacy group based in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
"Mihikatha" means the Goddess of the Earth.

 "A People's Victory" (9 minutes, English) presents a communication
campaign and legal action undertaken by a  rural community to end six years of
suffering from noise and air pollution caused by a powerloom,
established without an official environmental license, within their
midst. The powerloom was shut down after a court hearing.

"Action Against Tannery Pollution" (12 minutes, English) depicts the
Mihikatha campaign to curb tannery pollution. With the
increasing demand for leather products in Sri Lanka, tanneries are
mushrooming throughout Colombo, the capital. Situated within
residential areas and operating without any concern for the
environment, tanneries dump their waste in public sites endangering
people and the environment. The smells from chemicals used in the
leather production process spread throughout neighbourhoods and
discomfort people, particularly children and pregnant women. The
liquid waste is diverted into waterways.  Mihikatha  is actively
involved in alerting communities to dangers posed by tanneries.
Although the government has schemes to  help industries to install
environmental pollution control measures, most tannery owners fail
make use of such assistance and by-pass environmental laws. They
prefer to relocate their production units rather than install waste treatment
measures. The film shows how Mihikatha actively follows the movements
of  tanneries and, through communication techniques, alerts communities
throughout Sri Lanka. Workshops, door to door campaigns, leaflets, and
newspaper articles are used to communicate with rural communities.
Video is also actively used to inform communities and local
governmental officials about the dangers posed by tanneries.

The Mihikatha video team is mainly drawn from rural communities.
Both videos are available on VHS tape. The price for both: $20 (this
includes packaging and postage).

To order, please contact: The Mihikatha Institute 11 Sri Saranankara Road
Dehiwala Sri Lanka Ph: 00 94 1 725072 Fax: 00 94 1 500544
e-mail: mihikata@sri.lanka.net