Presidential Committee Says Unusual Amount Of Money Paid To Private Companies For Colombo's Garbage Disposal

February 07, 2018

The Presidential Committee report on the collapse of the Meetotamulla garbage dump has revealed that there has been an unusual increase in amounts of money paid to private companies for waste disposal in the Kolonnawaa and Meethotamulla areas in 2015 -2016.

The expenses show a gradual increase of allocations by the Colombo Municipal Council and according to the statistics in 2014 the Colombo Municipal Council had paid 64 million rupees and 182 million rupees and  232 million rupees respectively in 2015 and 2016.

The report further revealed that the main reason for the tragedy was the absence of a proper garbage disposal plan for the Colombo Municipal Council area. The report also said the proposals that were presented to resolve the issue had not been implemented. 

It also presented short-term and long- term recommendations on the disposal of Meethotamulla waste and had pointed out the importance of establishing a central institution to manage the process of disposing of waste in the Western Province.

Current Sri Lankan High Commission to Malaysia A.J.M Muzammil was the Mayor of Colombo during this period. Sources close to the President said the report was a serious indictment on the way Muzammil ran the municipality administration. 

The report was handed over to the President by Chairman of the Committee retired Court of Appeal Judge, Dr. Chandradasa Nanayakkara, the Secretary of the Committee D.M.Karunarathna and the Legal Officer Mr. Palitha Abeywardena