Megapolis Ministry begins transporting solid waste
A sustainable solution to Colombo city’s solid waste disposal issue has been given when the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry began transporting solid waste to ‘Sanitary Land Fill’ (SLF) at Aruwakkalu, in Puttalam, Ministry Secretary Nihal Rupasinghe said.
The SLF is a long term solution to the city of Colombo and to the entire country, and any local government body in any part of the country has been provided with facilities to dump their solid waste at the SLF at Aruwakkalu safely and with no effect on the environment, Mr. Rupasinghe said.
He went on to say that the 600 metric tons of solid waste collected in the city of Colombo per day are transported to Aruwakkalu daily after spraying the waste with a deodorant and in a safe manner, incurring a heavy cost to the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry.
“This is only a temporary measure. By March next year, we will set up the Kelaniya Solid Waste Transit Centre. Solid waste collected daily in the city would be brought to this centre, compacted into large cubics and transported by train to Aruwakkalu in a safe and hygienic way with no bad effect on the land, ground water or environment,” Mr. Rupasinghe said.
The SLF with an extent of 260 acres can be used for several decades as the solid waste disposal of the country.the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry does not charge any fee from the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) for cleaning the city from solid waste. But from mid next year a fee would be charged for the job, Mr. Rupasinghe said and added the CMC’S support and cooperation for this important task was lacking.
Project Director, Nimal Prematilaka said the solid waste problem in Colombo and other parts of the country that persisted for over five decades, had found a long term, environment solution at Aruwakkalu as a result of a team of dedicated officials and experts.
“We are aware how garbage dumps came up in Madampitiya, Bloemendhal, Meetotamulla in Colombo and in many other suburbs of Colombo. I hope, there will be no such garbage dumps that pollute the environment, threaten the public health and even kill people. This is the best possible, safe, environment friendly and sustainable solution to this national issue,” Mr. Prematilaka said.