Former President Chandrika’s mediation helps solve Dadagamuwa garbage issue

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga went on an ispection tour of the garbage dumping site in the Dadagamuwa area. Pictures by Wasitha Batabendige

The unhygienic manner in which garbage was being disposed of in the Attanagalla, Veyangoda, Gampaha and Dadagamuwa areas was solved permanently due to the mediation of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

People in the Dadagamuwa and Veyangoda areas have been undergoing severe hardships for six years since huge amounts of garbage, including both degradable and non-degradable waste was been dumped in a private land in the Dadagamuwa area.

The owner of the land earned millions monthly by allowing five Local Government Institutions to dump garbage at the site without considering the environment impact, health issues and difficulties faced by the people.

However, when the issue was brought to the notice of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, the dumping of garbage has been banned at this site from January 2. The daily collection of garbage which was been dumped at this site earlier is being sent to Kerawalapitiya from January 2.

“The garbage dump site has caused severe environment, health and social issues. Ground water, air and the surrounding environment has been severely polluted. It is speculated that the authorities, including environmental officers had not taken any action regarding this illegal garbage dump site, eventhough the site is situated in a semi-urban area,” former President Kumaratunga said.

She added that as a long lasting solution to this issue, moves have already been taken to dispose of garbage in a proper hygienic manner at an abandoned 300 acre state land. The new garbage dumping site will not pose any environmental threat nor cause pollution as garbage will be disposed of at this site using modern technology.

Former President Kumaratunga said that she had to use her good offices and overcome several obstacles to solve this long standing issue and thanked President Maithripala Sirisena for the speedy action taken in this regard. 

The Dadagamuwa garbage mountain.

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