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Research Journal of the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka- Rohana 11, 2019

Nature of study

This is a case study. It is the file photos of the leading news broadcast transmitted

from 27.07.2013 to 05.08.2014 which is used herein as sources. All these file photos
were taken from internet. It was only television news which was adopted. Out of all

the main channels now being operative in Sri Lanka news broadcasts of 6 of them,
i.e., Sirasa, Swarnavāhini, Hiru, Derana, ITN and National Rupavāhini have been

selected. It was the series of incidents occurred at Ratupaswala in Weliwēriya during
the period of 10 days referred to above that form the present study. As the Ph value

in water at Ratupaswala went down the residents of the locality lay the blame on

Dipped Products PLC establishment for the adverse effect and following a tumult
they made and in the process of their protest 3 people were shot dead by armed

forces. How the above incident was reported by those 6 TV channels is the subject
of the study. Only the above 6 channels were made use of because they are the most

recognized chief news transmissions in Sri Lanka. Although TNL is also yet another
channel of importance as we could not get their file photos from the internet we had

no occasion to use the particular data. The presentation of data herein take place

according to chronological order.

A brief introduction to Ratupaswala water commotion

This issue was called by many a media establishment as “Ratupaswala drinking
water crisis.” Residents of 22 Grāma Niladhāri Divisions belonging to

PrādesīyaSabhā (Divisional Councils) Gampaha and Mahara were involved in this

matter. (see Table 1) Principal villages involved included Gampaha, Sivuralamulla,
Nändungamuwa, Ūruwala, Wäliwēriya, Wäliwēriya west, Ambaraluwa, Kiritittala,

Ätikehelgalla, Bandārawatta and Helanwatta. Ph value in water in these villages are
less than 06. It is reported that the value is something like 3.5 and 4. In other words

acidity is much higher. Due to this high acidity some of those who consumed the

water in question fell ill and even died. We have come to know that a report issued
in 1960s recommended that as the acidity of the water here is high it is not suitable

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