The Colombo Municipal Commissioner has allegedly been involving in a fraud running to millions of rupees using garbage, MEP Leader Dinesh Gunawardena charged in Parliament today.
The MP, joining in the adjournment debate on Meethotamulla disaster, accused that the rule by the Colombo Municipal Commissioner is highly corrupted.
He thanked President Maithripala Sirisena for appointing a special commission to investigate the Meethotamulla garbage dump collapse. “Thirty two people had died and some more are still missing. The Colombo Municipal Commissioner should take the responsibility for this tragedy. Warning after warning had been given to stop dumping garbage at Meethotamulla, but it had been continuing repeatedly ignoring the warnings” he stated.
The MP also criticized the Government for not holding the Local Government Elections, pointing out that the situation could have been managed better had the CMC and other LG bodies were functioning properly.
He pointed out the Commissioner alone could not handle the situation without the support of Council members.
MP Gunawardena also questioned the role played by the disaster management authorities during the Meethotamulla tragedy. “Our disaster management arm is very slow to react. We need a disaster management flying squad that is alert round the clock and can be immediately deployed to any part of the country,” he proposed.
“The Colombo Municipal Commissioner said fears of a collapse had been there for over a week. Had the disaster management authorities been sleeping?” he questioned.
The MP also said the housing projects from which the victims in Meethotamulla were given houses were started during the previous Government’s time. “Had those not initiated the Government would have been utterly helpless” he added.