Najim M.M.M.

The Besut Irrigation Scheme, Terengganu, Malaysia is one of the eight gazetted main rice growing areas in Malaysia. These eight granaries are targeted to produce only 65% of the total rice requirements of the nation. This scheme faces water scarcity especially during the off-season with the present existing cropping schedule. This study discusses t...

Seventy-five percent of the available water resources in Malaysia are used for rice irrigation. Proper water management must be given due emphasis to effectively manage the water resources. This study analyzed field level practices, which could save irrigation water and thus increase area to be irrigated. The analyses were conducted for both the pr...

Very little work on the application of watershed modeling has been done in the tropical climatic conditions of Thailand to explore the nature of environmental problems arising from nonpoint source pollution due to agricultural activities, and to evaluate possible remedial measures and strategies. The present study attempts to verify the suitability...

Our study focused on quantifying the alterations of streamflow at a weir site due to the construction of a mini-hydropower plant in the Gurugoda Oya (Sri Lanka), and evaluating the spatial responses of benthic macroinvertebrates to altered flow regime. The HEC–HMS 3.5 model was applied to the Gurugoda Oya sub-catchment to generate streamflows for t...

The melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae, poses a severe threat to the country’s agricultural productivity, particularly in the cultivation of cucurbitaceous crops. This study was conducted to determine the ideal irradiation dose to be used to set up a Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)-based strategy to control B. cucurbitae outbreaks in Sri Lanka. A B. c...

The escalating demand for food, along with the fluctuating price of fossil fuels, has prompted Sri Lanka to investigate environmentally benign alternative energy sources. The feasibility of renewable energy sources in the agricultural production process will put the country on a secure footing in the face of an energy crisis and rising demand for f...

Postharvest losses are very common and occur due to poor infrastructure and logistical arrangements, lack of technology, and insufficient knowledge, skills and management capacity of supply chain stakeholders. In Sri Lanka, the annual loss of fruits and vegetables during postharvest operation is around 30%–40% of the harvest and 20%–40% of the tota...

Agriculture is the backbone of the world’s population, being the primary source of food production. Climate change affects agriculture in various ways, including changes in typical temperatures, precipitation, and atmospheric conditions. Advanced automation of agronomic activities for land preparation, irrigation water management, pesticide applica...

The impacts of climate change and increasing concerns on environmental sustainability have imposed numerous challenges on ensuring the agricultural productivity of Sri Lanka. The recent policy decisions of the country on environmentally friendly agricultural strategies have further influenced this issue. Therefore, maintaining higher productivity w...

Ecosystem services offered by freshwater ecosystems, in the form of natural pools have not been fully realized by the public, which has led to limited attention on the conservation of these pools. This study therefore was conducted to investigate the user preferences for sustainable enhancement of recreational values of natural pools and their imme...

Urban stormwater drains in Kurunegala City collect runoff and untreated wastewater, leading to public health problems. The Greater Kurunegala Sewage Treatment Plant (GKSTP) was commissioned in 2018 and currently operates at 73% of its capacity to combat public health issues. This study assessed the water quality of canals, comparing it with standar...

The impacts of climate change have a major influence on the food security of a country. Sri Lanka is a developing nation that is severely affected by the shifts in climate. Therefore, this book chapter aims to analyze the effects of climate change on food security from a Sri Lankan perspective. The agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors play...

Greater Kurunegala Sewage Treatment Plant (GKSTP) plays a pivotal role in transforming polluted wastewater in Kurunegala City into safe water and releasing it back into the city canals. Despite establishing a GKSTP in 2018, the canals remain polluted prompting community complaints. This study investigated whether the discrepancy between planned an...

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has currently become one of the most burning health issues of national concern in Sri Lanka. Objective: To assess the lifestyle factors associated with CKD among people of Sri Lanka. Methods: A pretested structured questionnaire was administered to collect the data from kidney patients. Lifestyle patterns an...

This study investigated the recontamination of treated water in urban drains and explores the potential of utilizing treated water for direct non-potable uses (NPU) to achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for community benefits.

Groundwater is one of the most imperative natural resources utilized worldwide for a variety of purposes. Agricultural, domestic and industrial usage of this is increasing manifold. The available surface water resources are not enough and are inadequate to meet the drinking and irrigation requirements of the crops. Groundwater has more essential ad...

This study sought to assess the impact of the Sewage Treatment Plant on the water quality of irrigation water suitable for agriculture, ultimately promoting food security.

Rainwater, surface water, and groundwater sources fulfil the water requirement of the Sri Lankan population. Access to safe water in Sri Lanka is threatened by various factors, such as water pollution and annual rainfall variation. This study aims to evaluate the demand for fresh water in Sri Lanka in the past decade and compare it with the wat...

INEFFECTIVENESS OF Escherichia coli REMOVAL BY TREATMENT PLANT UPON REINTRODUCTION TO POLLUTED CANALS

A comprehensive study incorporating results from different findings related to heavy metal removal from wastewater using sludge as an absorbent will assist researchers and practitioners in planning wastewater treatment processes. This study aims to provide a comprehensive foundation on the potential of using sludge-based materials to remove heavy m...

Keywords: Pollution, Treatment plant, Urban canal, Wastewater, Water Quality Index

This study examines water scarcity and quality deterioration in various components of the urban setting, including agriculture, manufacturing, construction, residential buildings, and the recreational industries. This paper also analyzes various measures that can be used as valuation matrices to assess the quality and quantity of water consumption,...

Saudi Arabia (SA) faces a water shortage, and it further challenges sustainable agriculture, industrial development and the well-being of people. SA uses more than 80% of its water resources for agricultural purposes. Groundwater extractions account for most of this demand, which is not sustainable. Hence, this study aims to analyze water managemen...

Global food security challenges have been burdened by a rapidly expanding population and its attendant food demands. Safer and higher-quality agriculture is one of the most essential solutions for addressing the growing problem. In agriculture that is safer, the quality of irrigation from a safer water source will boost food security. Groundwater i...

Microplastics in marine ecosystems have become an emerging environmental issue around the world. Human plastic consumption has increased at a dramatic rate over the years leading to detrimental impacts. Marine plastic levels in marine environments have increased through land or sea-based sources and has become persistent and the pollution is ubiqui...

In 1987, Brundtland Report defined sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. "The sustainability concept is being considered in managing resources, production processes, consumption, etc. Gaining a sustainable future requires...

Sri Lanka is increasingly concerned about the impacts of climate change on food production, food security, and livelihoods. This has been mostly discussed in terms of climate impacts on crop productivity (food availability), with little emphasis on other key aspects, namely food access and use. This chapter, based on existing literature, adopted a...

Singharaja and adjacent forested areas drains into two major rivers in Sri Lanka and they are crucial sources of drinking water downstream and contributes to frequent floods. This study was done to model stream flows and evaluate the applicability of the model for a dense tropical forest catchment. Hydrological model HEC-HMS was calibrated (2009-20...

Industrial pollution and domestic solid waste dumping are considered as the major pollution (or pollutant) source of the Negombo Estuary. Polluted water and sediments in the estuary closely related to the heavy metal concentration of fish. This could lead to a serious health hazard and/or affect the health of the fish consumers. Therefore, a study...

Mathematical models describing the estimation of optimal amounts of water depend on various parameters such as the quality of soil that depends on many random factors. Investigation methods and approaches of the random processes of those parameters play an important role. In irrigation systems, drainage systems are widely used to achieve multiple o...

Abstract In the fisheries sector, fisheries enhancement through culture-based fisheries (CBF) has been recognized as an environmentally friendly approach, which is bound to contribute to increasing food fish production, especially in developing countries. Through concerted efforts, Sri Lanka achieved considerable success in CBF development in small...

Mathematical models describing the estimation of optimal amounts of water depend on various parameters such as the quality of soil that depends on many random factors. Investigation methods and approaches of the random processes of those parameters play an important role. In irrigation systems, drainage systems are widely used to achieve multiple o...

Discharge of untreated poultry processing wastewater (PPWW) causes various environmental pollution issues in the receiving environment of water, land, and air. Treatment and disposal of PPWW in compliance with disposal norms is one of the main concerns of poultry meat production industries in Sri Lanka. In many countries, PPWW is treated using eith...

Industrial and domestic solid waste dumping are the major pollution sources polluting the Negombo estuary. Polluted water and sediments in the estuary may cause heavy metals accumulation in fish. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess physico-chemical parameters in water, heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Hg, Cd, Cu and Cr) in water and fish tissues, to com...

Drought and flood are the simple most significant climatological hazards in Sri Lanka, which primarily affects agricultural productivity. Proper understanding and investigation of climatic extremes like drought and floods, plays a key role in planning and management of household, municipal, agricultural and industrial activities even with varied wa...

Analysis of physico - chemical parameters gives an insight to the spatial distribution of Mugil cephalus in Negombo estuary. The present study was carried out to the spatial distribution of Mugil cephalus that is governed by the physico - chemical parameters in bottom overlying surface water in Negombo estuary, Sri Lanka. Samplings at selected site...

An analysis of the shifts and trends of climate patterns with respect to wet and dry events and rainfall seasonality is vital for the effective planning and management of water resources in tropical countries such as Sri Lanka, which have agriculture-based economies. Hence, temporal and spatial variations of climate extremes and rainfall seasonalit...

Background: Larval indices such as Premise Index (PI), Breteau Index (BI) and Container Index (CI) are widely used to interpret the density of dengue vectors in surveillance programmes. These indices may be useful for forecasting disease outbreaks in an area. However, use of the values of these indices as alarm signals is rarely considered in contr...

Water flow and water quality changes in surface water bodies due to climate change is a major problem worldwide, typically in river eco-systems. To address these issues, proper monitoring of river flow variations and water quality is necessary, but daily monitoring and data collection is greatly time consuming and costly. Therefore, a study was don...

As a country with an agriculture based economy, Sri Lanka has to pay more attention to the climate extremes and variations in rainfall patterns. Evaluation of the regional variations in rainfall patterns (especially in rainfall seasonality, severity and frequency of wet and dry events) that reflect the trends in climate, is of essence for effective...

Determination of the volumes of flows that should be maintained for the sustenance of the natural eco systems under pristine conditions (Environmental Flows [EF]), remains complicated and difficult, causing a challenging situation for the sustainable management of water resources in many countries. As a tropical developing country with an agricultu...

The objectives of this study were to assess the levels of water quality and heavy metals of the water, sediments and fish tissues in the Negombo estuaries. For this study, samples were collected from sixteen sampling locations during the one year study period from January to December 2014. The results revealed that the average concentrations of amm...

There are 52 species of freshwater crabs in Sri Lanka and 51 of them are endemic. There are several species that are known only from a single locality. Ceylonthelphusa armata is such a species, and we have initiated a study to record the distribution of this species as its typical locality is heavily polluted at Kadugannawa. At present C. armat...

Dengue has been recognized to be one of the major threats on the public health of many tropical countries including Sri Lanka. Controlling of the high rate of mortality caused by dengue, which remains without being altered regardless of the immense efforts and control strategies of the relevant authorities, has remained as a major challenge for the...

There are 52 species of freshwater crabs in Sri Lanka and 51 of them are endemic. There are several species that are known only from a single locality. Ceylonthelphusa armata is such a species, and we have initiated a study to record the distribution of this species as its typical locality is heavily polluted at Kadugannawa. At present C. armata is...

Quantification of amounts of flows that should be maintained for sustaining the natural ecosystems in pristine conditions, i.e., the environmental flows, often remains complicated and difficult, resulting in a challenging situation for the sustainable management of water resources in many countries. Being a tropical country with an agriculture base...

Evaluation of the variations in rainfall patterns that reflect the trends in climate, is of essence for effective and sustainable management of the available water resources within a country. Sri Lanka being a tropical country that significantly depend upon agriculture for economic viability, has to pay much attention to the variations in rainfall...

Dengue which is renowned as world's fastest growing vector borne disease, has become one of the major health issues in Sri Lanka gaining a growing concern due to recent outbreaks throughout the country. Timely implementation of ideal precautionary and control measures is often respected as the prime solution for controlling and reducing potential r...

Sedimentation in surface water bodies is a major problem worldwide as well as in Sri Lanka especially in the upper Mahaweli catchment. To address these issues, proper monitoring of sedimentation is necessary, but daily monitoring and data collection are greatly time consuming and costly. Therefore, development and application of models for accurate...

Natural flow of a river is recognized as vital to sustaining riverine ecosystems. The biotic composition, structure and function of aquatic ecosystems depend largely on the hydrologic regimes; however flows of the world's rivers are increasingly being modified through impoundments. Therefore calculation of the optimum flows for a healthier river is...

Sri Lanka, as a country with an agriculture based economy, has to pay more attention to the climate extremes and variations in rainfall seasonality since the availability of water resources are directly and significantly affected with these changes. Since dry zone is highly characterized by both temporal and spatial shortage of water, an analysis o...

“Gebim shastra “also known as “Vasthu shastra” provides several guidelines and criteria regarding the assessment of suitability of a land for constructions of numerous purposes are provided by Gebim shastra. Though such guidelines have been set long time ago, core concepts of those criteria tend to resemble the present day used criteria for suitabi...

Abstract Socioeconomic aspects of life have changed due to alterations in the climatic patterns. Sri Lanka needs to pay more attention to the climate extremes as the available water resources are directly affected by these changes. Hence planning and management of water resources based on climatic patterns play a key role in sustainable developmen...

Socioeconomic aspects of life have changed due to alterations in the climatic patterns. Sri Lanka needs to pay more attention to the climate extremes as the available water resources are directly affected by these changes. Hence planning and management of water resources based on climatic patterns play a key role in sustainable development. Sustain...

Changes in rainfall distribution patterns around the world have caused fluctuations in thoseclimate regimes. Agriculture is particularly vulnerable to climatic conditions and it is chiefamong the systems that are expected to undergo changes as a consequence of climate change.This study analyses the climate change variability through the fluctuation...

The traditional Sri Lankans led a simple yet a sustainable life in harmony with the nature utilising its resources wisely and appropriately. Since the vitality of forest resources were well known, properly designed plantation management techniques were followed by them even in ancient times. The traditionally practiced plantation management techniq...

Flooding and flow changes in rivers and streams due to anthropogenic activities are the major problems worldwide as well as in Sri Lanka. To address these issues, proper monitoring of flow patterns and prediction of flow changes are necessary; However, daily monitoring and data collection is greatly time consuming and costly. Therefore, development...

Urban centers are highly significant with limited space together with the rising urban population. Most of the houses and buildings are attached with some kind of a sewage disposal facility as central sewage disposal systems are limited. Urbanization is expected to create many problems in terms of black water disposal due to limitation of land. A s...

The demand for water in most parts of Sri Lanka has intensified within the recent years due to the increase in population growth and urbanization. Thus, the quantitative allocation of the available water resources to support the elevating demand for water by numerous sectors while maintaining harmony with the nature has been a challenge for the loc...

Different forms of energy are used in the process of agricultural production. Determining the energy invested for each step of a production process is important for efficient management of resources, improved agricultural production and productivity. Also, it is desirable to identify the agricultural tasks that are considered critical and strenuous...

Use of hydrological models in water resources management is a new approach to Sri Lanka. Therefore, a study was done with the objectives of evaluating the suitability of the HEC-HMS model for water resources assessment in a cascade system together with a water balance approach under a cascade system in the intermediate zone of Sri Lanka. A cascade...

The rainfall distribution around the world has undergone changes thus causing fluctuations in those climate regimes. Agriculture is chief among the systems that are expected to undergo changes as a consequence of climate change. The present study analyses the climate change variability through the fluctuation in precipitation pattern, in IL1a agro...

The changes in the climate characterized by the severity and the frequency of occurrence of weather extreme dry and wet events have caused significant effects on the socioeconomic parameters. Especially being an agricultural country, Sri Lanka has to pay more attention to these climate extremes and variations in climate since the water resources ar...

Changes in rainfall distribution patterns around the world have caused fluctuations in those climate regimes affecting systems like agriculture which is particularly vulnerable to climate change. This study analyses the climate change variability through the fluctuation in precipitation pattern and evaporation, in IL1a agro ecological region of Sri...

Weather patterns in the country seem to be gradually changing affecting rainfall patterns on which agricultural activities are dependent. Farming communities in the Western coastal belt complain that the rainfall variation have adversely affected paddy farming. Therefore, a study was carried out in Attanagalu Oya basin with the objective to assess...

Sri Lanka is facing severe environmental problems such as air and water pollution due to rapid industrialisation and urbanisation. Because there have not been many studies on heavy metal pollution in Sri Lanka, the present study attempts to contribute to the literature a determination of metal pollution using indicators found in lichen specimens. O...

Available and limited water resources are seeing high demand from many sectors such as agriculture, industry and domestic households. In water allocation, the quantification of water in terms of energy used for water supply is more appropriate in terms of economic aspects. This study was undertaken to assess the embodied in irrigation for a lowland...