Meethotamulla garbage dump:

THE STINK IS THE CMC’S

The waste management of the Meethotamulla garbage dump is a strict responsibility of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), Colombo Mayor M. M. Muzammil said yesterday. Muzammil said the Meethotamulla garbage dump is not the responsibility of the UDA. This was contrary to TV news reports that suggested the UDA was to blame.

The waste management of the Meethotamulla garbage dump is a strict responsibility of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), Colombo Mayor M. M. Muzammil said yesterday. Muzammil said the Meethotamulla garbage dump is not the responsibility of the UDA. This was contrary to TV news reports that suggested the UDA was to blame.

“In fact, the land for the Meethotamulla dump yard was given to the CMC by the UDA to help the CMC carry out its solid waste management programme,” the Mayor said.

“The UDA gave this land to us at a time we were having problems with the Bloemendhal garbage site in Colombo which was a private land,” Muzammal said.

He said a Supreme Court order stopped the CMC from dumping garbage at Bloemendal. “Since the CMC was left without a place to build on its waste management strategy after that, the Supreme Court called on the UDA to provide the CMC with a land to carry out the city’s waste management efforts,” he said.

“In accordance with a Court order based on that, the UDA gave the Meethotamulla yard to the CMC. The UDA has done its part to solve a problem that was indeed a problem of the CMC,” he said.

“They are not to be held responsible for those problems that have bubbled up from Meethotamulla garbage dump, whose waste management is our responsibility,” Muzammal said.

Asked how he would address current issues, such as public protests that have taken place on account of the existence of the Meethotamulla dump yard, Muzammal said the dump yard was being maintained legally by the CMC.

“People cannot take the law into their hands. They should understand that solid waste management in the city is not an isolated issue. It is a national issue. It is not the public that have fanned the flames of unrest over the Meethotamulla issue. There are some JVP elements behind this issue that instigate the public to resort to demonstrations,” said Muzammil.

Asked if there was anything that UDA can do about resolving ther issues around Meethotamulla dump yard, Muzammal said, we may need their assistance again to resolve this problem.