New compost plant in Gonawatte

Disna MUDALIGE

A large scale compost plant and a sanitary landfill site is to be constructed in Kandy to provide a sustainable solution to the garbage problem which has become a serious issue in the area over the past years.

The proposals presented by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) with regard to the construction of this, has been accepted by the political authority and local government institutions in the Kandy district during a meeting at the Kandy Divisional Secretariat Division. Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake and CEA Chairman Charitha Herath participated in the meeting last Friday.

The new compost plant is to be built in Gonawatte with funds of the Pilisaru Solid Waste Management National Project. The sanitary landfill site is to be constructed with Korean financial assistance.

Open dumping sites in Kandy have caused serious health and environmental problems and have resulted in ground and surface water pollution. People have been inconvenienced due to the improper garbage dumping in this area over the past years.