Meethotamulla heated up with garbage
A tense situation arose in Meethotamulla, Kolonnawa yesterday as area residents and civil society activists held a protest demanding the removal of a massive garbage dump from the area.
Tensions ran high as a group calling itself “People’s Movement against the Meethotamulla Garbage Dump” blocked vehicles from entering the site to dump garbage.
Speaking to The Nation, Udul Premaratne of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP), which had pledged its support to the protestors, said the location had been used as a garbage dumping site for the past 20 years. Local authorities had originally dumped garbage on a 2 acre stretch of land claiming this was only a temporary measure. However, the area had now become a permanent garbage dumping site and the entire garbage dump now covers 16 acres, he pointed out.
He claimed a survey carried out recently had found 90% of area residents living around the garbage dumping site were regularly being struck down by infectious diseases. “70% of area residents have skin diseases while a similar percentage experience breathing difficulties,” he claimed.
He added the same survey had revealed only 1% of students from the area qualified for university, while more than 60% dropped out after O/Levels. While one could not prove a link between this and the garbage dump, he opined it maybe that both the physical and psychological wellbeing of the students were being adversely affected by being forced to study in such an unhealthy environment.
Premaratne further pointed out that Meethotamulla Rahula Vidyalaya, the school located closest to the garbage dump site, had been forced to shut down 3 ½ months ago as the smell emanating from the site was unbearable and students were also being exposed to dangerous levels of methane.
“Area residents held a protest three months ago when the school was forced to close down, demanding the removal of the garbage dump. At the time, authorities promised to remove it within three months. However, nothing has been done thus far,” he noted.
A discussion held last evening between protestors and government officials, led by Colombo Municipal Council Commissioner Badrani Jayawardena ended in failure, as officials had requested a period of one year to resolve the situation.
Premaratne said area residents had been given similar assurances in the past, and as such, they would stick to their demand that the garbage dump be removed immediately.
The Sathyagraha was still ongoing at the time this edition went to press.
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