Canada to solve waste management problems

Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Janaka Bandara Tennekoon has launched a programme to obtain Canadian assistance for solving Waste Management and Drainage problems in areas devastated by the tsunami.

This is part of the massive programme to rehabilitate areas affected by the tsunami tragedy undertaken by the Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry on the initiative of Minister Tennekoon.

Sixty three tractors and 63 trailers valued at nearly Rs. 80 million were distributed among 59 Local Government institutions under the auspices of the UNDP as part of this rehabilitation programme recently, a Ministry release said.

Seven Municipal areas, 12 UC areas and 29 Pradesheeya Sabha areas were directly affected by the tsunami which struck the coastal areas of the country last year.

The total damage caused has been estimated at Rs. 2,833 million which is close upon 30 million US dollars.

The Canadian Urban Congress representing nearly 1,100 Urban Councils across Canada has now came forward to assist this effort by providing Rs. 1 billion towards the rehabilitation of infrastructure facilities in the affected Local Government institution areas.

The relevant funding agreement was signed by Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry Secretary Casian Herath and Sebastian Hammel, Manager (Asia Region) Canadian Urban Congress in Colombo on December 14.