Meethotamulla tragedy: No garbage in state land
The Urban Development Authority (UDA) has decided to prohibit the dumping of garbage on any State land owned by it with effect from May 1. However, if any Municipal Council, Pradesheeya Sabha or a State institution needed a plot of land to dump garbage, it will have to settle the cost involved from its own provisions.
A press release by the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry issued yesterday stated that the UDA has come forward to rehabilitate the Kolonnawa garbage dump and the adjourning land with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Army.
It is reported that 69 houses had been destroyed up to now from the Meethotamulle tragedy. Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said steps would be taken to provide a new house in place of those destroyed if the government provided the funds.
Although some are blaming politicians, government officers and State institutions for the recent tragedy, this was not a problem which cropped up in recent times. Whenever intervention was made over the last two decades to resolve this problem it had to be abandoned in the face of political and public protests.
The Ministry submitted a special cabinet memorandum on the Meethotamulla garbage dump in February this year. The Colombo Municipal Council had been advised to stop dumping garbage in Kolonnawa and identify alternative places.
When then Mayor of Colombo Karu Jayasuriya joined hands with them, Chief Minister Susil Premajayantha brought a proposal to create a systematic garbage dump for Colombo in Meepe with World Bank assistance but it was abandoned when politicians of all hues in the area joined hands and protested saying they did not want Colombo’s garbage. When they tried to set up an alternative dump in a forest area in Waga with CEA Koika aid, that too had to be abandoned due to political protests. A proposal to use the limestone mines in Puttalam to dump Colombo’s waste too had to be abandoned.
Alternative places selected by the CMC to dump garbage too had to be similarly abandoned due to public protests.
The Meethotamulla tragedy is not a natural disaster but a process caused by social problems. People had continuously objected to the dumping of garbage in this place and as such, the government had a responsibility regarding it and it was acting accordingly.
(Source: Daily News)
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- NPP presents 7-point pledge on Easter Sunday Attack to Cardinal Ranjith April 18, 2024
- Dialog Axiata to acquire Bharti Airtel’s telecom operations in Sri Lanka April 18, 2024
- IMF ready to support Sri Lanka’s discussions with bondholders April 18, 2024
- Sri Lankan among NASA’s new crew for next simulated Mars journey April 18, 2024
- Court extends enjoining order blocking Sirisena from SLFP chairmanship until May 9 April 18, 2024
Of course Hon Minister, nobody wants to live with garbage in their backyard specially in a compact country such as Sri Lanka.
There is a former Defence Boss, who happens to be ‘know all’ talking about Sanitary Landfills and how he had approached the World bank to finance that initiative.
He is talking rubbish as Sanitary Landfills are only suitable for countries with expansive unused land, like deserts, at their disposal.
Our waste requires technology to separate waste and recycle the recyclables. The only remaining non-recyclables such as plastic bags, will go to landfill.
As long as the CMC awards lucrative contracts for moving rubbish from one place to the other, there won’t be redemption because of corruption.
This Minister’s diktat that no rubbish will be dumped in Meetotumulla is being questioned by a petty official in CMC.
Excellent comments, Gamani.
This guy is a Minister in Yahapalana Government and he says ” steps would be taken to provide a new house in place of those destroyed if the government provided the funds. ”
If the Govt provided funds? Is this guy not part of the Cabinet in the current Govt?
This shows the thinking capacity of persons appointed to Cabinet !