By Hiran H. Senewiratne

At a time when Sri Lanka is facing an acute US dollar shortage, the printing and importation of stocks of third class train tickets from abroad could cost more than US$ 500,000 per tender. However, for the first time in the world, a local entrepreneur has designed and launched a railway ticket, with recycled paper and agro- seeds as manufacturing material, which when dropped on the soil helps bear plants.

“I have been in the recycling business for over 30 years. A new invention in this regard is a new train ticket manufactured out of recycled paper, which contains tomato, mustard and chilli seeds. When you throw this ticket on to the soil, these seeds germinate and plants spring up, chairman, Ceylon Eco Friendly Products (Pvt) Ltd, Udaya Gunaratne, told The Island Financial Review.

Gunaratne added: ‘This would be ideal for home gardening and even people in apartments can grow valuable vegetables by using these train tickets. The used train tickets can also be recycled which would help save an amount of US dollars for the country.

‘It is very sad to note that Sri Lanka has been importing millions of train tickets from European countries for the past 150 years. This is a drain on foreign exchange, which amounts to more than US$ 500,000 per tender.

‘I presented my 100 percent ‘Made in Sri Lanka’ train ticket to the highest railway authorities in September last year and was told that Sri Lanka was going to introduce e-tickets and that this system is going to end.

‘This tender is designed in such a manner that an inventor like me who is presenting a product for the first time gets disqualified as the tender procedure calls for ‘experience’ in printing train tickets. It’s said that the cost of printing a train ticket is Rs. 2.75.

‘Sad to note that there is a railway mafia that does not permit any new local players to enter the supply business. Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardana who is trying to lower the expenses of the Railway Department, should look at this and try to break- up this mafia.’

Gunaratne has also designed and executed the world’s first project to recycle ‘shredded currency’ notes, discarded by Central Banks all over the world, by using natural resources. Currently these notes are disposed of by burning or dumping in the sea/earth and Central Banks all over the world spend a colossal amount on it.