University of Colombo Students Conduct Comprehensive Field Assessment on the Beira Lake
On the 14th of October 2026, 35 International Relations students from both the Sinhala and English mediums at the University of Colombo conducted a field investigation at Beira Lake. Held under the Clean Waterways Programme of the Beira Lake Restoration Task Force, the initiative served as an essential practical research component designed to bridge academic study with environmental realities on the ground.
The programme aims to purify Colombo’s iconic urban lake by assessing its environmental state, raising public awareness, and empowering youth leaders to drive lasting, community-wide change. The field study, joined by four university lecturers, five A-PAD Sri Lanka staff members, Country Director Mr. Firzan Hashim, and Consultant and Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Specialist Ms. Anoja Seneviratne, supported the broader mandate to restore the lake as a vital societal and economic asset.
To ensure a thorough assessment across key thematic areas, including human and social security, urban resilience, livelihood security, environmental governance, SME and private sector disaster resilience, waste management, collective action, international cooperation, and sustainable urban development, the students were divided into six specialized teams. Operating under the direct supervision and guidance of A-PAD SL staff members, the teams were deployed across three key field sectors: East Beira, West Beira, and Southwest Beira.
During the investigation, students engaged in direct dialogues with nearby residents, local workers, and small business owners to evaluate the daily human and economic impacts of the lake’s degradation. The interactions revealed a critical insight: while perspectives varied among local stakeholders, a vast majority had normalized the severe pollution to maintain their daily routines, a situation driven by a lack of deep public awareness, limited environmental education, and passive adaptation to compromised conditions.
Following the field assessments, all six groups reassembled to present their preliminary findings. Highlighting the visual urgency of the situation, a student delegate displayed a water sample collected directly from Beira Lake, its murky green coloration serving as a stark visual testament to the severe ecological stress facing the waterway.
The initiative directly aligns with the broader objectives led by the Governor of the Western Province to restore Beira Lake’s water quality and biodiversity. By equipping youth from key academic institutions with firsthand field experience, the initiative continues to build a strong network of informed advocates dedicated to sustainable urban development and environmental stewardship in Colombo.
