EVALUATION OF POLLUTION DAMAGE COST IN BELLANWILA A.TTIDIYA WETLAND

Management of waste, both liquid and solid has become a critical environmental concernparticularly in the more urbanized areas ill 'Sri Lanka and this problem is most severe inthe densely populated areas of Western province. Bellanwila Attidiya wetland is also one ofthe places, which is used as open dumpsites. It has bad effects on the health, air quality, biodiversity water, and land.The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the pollution damage cost of thewetland. In addition peoples views were also obtained on possibility of recreation in thewetland.In the present study the Contingent Valuation Method was used to evaluate the pollutiondamage cost of the wetland. Data was derived from a Contingent Valuation survey carriedout among the residents of the area and commuters who travel along the road which passesthrough the wetland. The results were consistent with theory and an aggregate cost ofwetland pollution was estimated to be 2870 00 million rupees per year. People expressedtheir willingness for proposals of developing the wet land as a recreation site.The valuation may be useful in cost benefit analysis of wetland management and otherrelated policy and planning programmes related to wetlands. This could be used as aninstrument to get the local and international attention and draw funds for the wetlandconservation.