Threat of epidemics at Galewela weekly fair

A. A. L. Dias Matale district group corr

The Galewela weekly fair has become a health hazard due to its unhygienic state.

Accumulated garbage of over five metric tons from the town area is dumped in this weekly fair daily, on the instructions of the Galewela Pradeshiya Sabha.

During the rainy season, the entire area stinks due to rotten garbage while leaving room for various diseases to spread out. However, the Pradeshiya Sabha has not taken any action to remedy this condition, residents complain. Both vendors and consumers are in dire traits, they said. Ananda Rajapaksa, a businessman said no facilities have been provided by the authorities for the benefits of traders. "Their main aim is to collect tax," he said.

"The Pradeshiya Sabha uses this premises to dump garbage. Due to the stink and unhealthy environment the number of consumers has also dropped affecting our daily income," he said.

Flies and mosquitoes have become another menace. "The stink emanating from the heaps of garbage signals a heap of epidemics," he said.

The residents appeal to the higher authorities to intervene in the matter.