Over to you Environment Minister and Dehiwela Municipality

One wonders whether there is a Mayor and a functioning Municipality in Dehiwela when you see the Garbage mountains that had come up on almost all the roads covered by Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia Municipality. In fact the time has come to question the nature of work the municipality does to uplift the health standards of the rate payers in Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia.

In Terence Avenue where I live, garbage disposal is nobody’s business; the Muster at Dharmapala Mawatha is almost nonfunctional, mainly due to scarcity of tractors.

Even their telephone is disconnected, probably due to non-payment of bills! According to sources the Municipality has only three tractors to dispose tons of garbage in and around Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia. Even the available tractors are not maintained or serviced in time resulting in regular breakdowns.

When the garbage is not collected regularly, people (mostly those who are in rented apartments) have a habit of throwing them on the road, thinking that their headache is over. As any right-thinking person agrees, this poses a grave health hazard.

If the Municipality can construct ‘Garbage dumps’ at several selected places, I am sure , the problem could be solved to a certain extent. Of course, a garbage dump must be a closed structure with an opening at the top, provided with a lid to close soon after the garbage is dumped. A side opening which is normally closed will facilitate the municipality staff to remove the garbage as and when required.

One can question where to find the money to construct ‘Garbage dumps’ when the Municipality cannot find funds to maintain their existing fleet of tractors.

If it is so, the rate payers are justified and has a right to know how ‘Her Lordship’ the Mayor found money to celebrate her ‘Padaviprapthiya’ sometime back, with all the pomp and glory!

NEVILLE PERERA
Mount Lavinia

Over to you Telecommunications Minister

When I tried to dial for a connection from my telephone (011-2454482), to my shock and dismay, I got a message saying “Your facility to call has been temporarily suspended. For further details contact 122”. When I dial 122, I get a message “The number you dialled is incorrect. Please make sure you have the correct number”.

I wasted my time dialling over and over again. No use. Then I had to call from my mobile and it took about 6 minutes to finally inform my problem.

The person who answered the call said, “there is no arrears of payment. Therefore, I will put you to Billing”. It started all over again and took another 7 minutes to pass my problem on to her. She said she would attend to it immediately. But now it is more than two hours since and I am still unable to make any calls.

My question is why did this happen to me and why do you say “call 122” and you come with a message asking me to dial the correct number. I had to spend more than 90 rupees for no good reason.

Who is responsible for this and would you connect my line without any further delay? Would you please respond?

C. RATNAVADIVEL