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. |