ARUWAKKALU LANDFILL ANOTHER WHITE ELEPHANT

Politically motivated agenda beyond CMC’S control : Rosy

I have to spend Colombo residents’ money to solve this matter. This is a fault of the Central Government

CHECC won the contract after a competitive bidding process : Ranawaka

But the CMC should be responsible for collecting, transporting and dumping garbage in a scientific manner

People behind the garbage scam should be identified : Dr. Senanayake

Though politicians thought this country was a dumping foreign garbage, I pray that the rest of the country does not share these views

No big issue as portrayed by residents : Prof. Jayaweera

We will monitor vibrations and even take measures to control the odour. For that we will be spraying a bacteria

Sri Lanka is facing a garbage crisis among other crises. It’s clear that we haven’t learned any lesson from the Meethotamulla garbage dump collapse which also claimed 32 lives. While the Government proposed the Aruwakkalu sanitary landfill project as a long-term viable option, it seems to be a threat to Puttalam, apart from the Norochcholai Power Plant and the cement factory. Although plans have been drawn to establish this facility by early next year, speculation is rife as to whether the project is being done under proper technical guidance. With that in mind the sheds light on the current status of the project and shortcomings highlighted in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Making big money

Recently, the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development (MOMWD) announced that Kerawalapitiya has exceeded its capacity to collect degradable waste, adding pressure on the garbage disposal activities carried out by the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC). What resulted was the accumulation of garbage along main roads and by-roads in Colombo. People complained of being around unhygienic environments as garbage started piling up right in front of their residences. Since the suggested train facility to transport garbage is still not in place, the CMC had to transport garbage by road. But, in a statement issued by the CMC, it stated that the Vanathavilluva Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman has demanded Rs 2.5 million for transporting garbage by road. When the Daily Mirror contacted the PS Chairman Samantha Munasinghe he opined that they could demand money as per the Pradeshiya Sabha Act. As a temporary solution the CMC lodged a complaint at the Court of Appeal and the Court ordered that they could dump garbage at Aruwakkalu as a temporary solution and issued an interim order stopping the Vanathavilluva PS from demanding money from CMC.

In the wake of the incident the Daily Mirror spoke to Colombo mayoress Rosy Senanayake who blamed the Central Government for not being able to address the issue. “When the Central Government said that Kerawalapitiya has exceeded its capacity we made every effort to clear transportation and ensured that garbage would be taken to Aruwakkalu. Then the Vanathavilluva PS started demanding money and what not and finally we had to go to Courts. I have to spend Colombo residents’ money to solve this matter. This is a fault of the Central Government and I strongly believe that this is a politically motivated agenda beyond the control of the CMC,” she said.

Questionable contractors

The Aruwakkalu sanitary landfill project commenced with much fanfare. Some claimed it to be the best solution for the garbage issue. But there have been shortcomings since it’s inception, the Daily Mirror learns. Although the World Bank agreed to fund the Project, the MOMWD dumped the World Bank project and handed over the contract to the China Harbour

Engineering Company Ltd. (CHECC), the same entity that took over the Port City Project. However, at the onset of signing the agreement in December 2017, it was revealed that the CHECC won the USD 100.9 million contract which included building transfer facilities at Kelaniya and Aruwakkalu in addition to railway lines to transport garbage daily. However the losing bidder M/s Kolon-hansel-kecc, a South Korean joint venture has questioned CHECC’S eligibility to carry out such a project as the bidder should either have landfill design experience or submit its application with a joint partner that had such expertise. However, it’s a known fact that CHECC, a subsidiary of China Communications Constructions Company Ltd, along with all of its subsidiaries were debarred by the World Bank from January 2011 to January 2017 for alleged fraudulent bidding practices according to the ABSCBN Investigative and Research Group.

With that in mind the Daily Mirror questioned subject minister Patali Champika Ranawaka as to why the World Bank pulled out. “The World Bank didn’t submit such a proposal at the very outset. If the CHECC is a blacklisted company, how can they be doing the Port City project? They are not blacklisted and we selected them after calling for competitive bidding. The cost of the entire project is USD 105 million,” Ranawaka said.

When asked about the Aruwakkalu landfill project he said that the Ministry would take the entire responsibility of constructing and maintaining the facility. “But the CMC should be responsible for collecting, transporting and dumping garbage in a scientific manner. The train facility will be completed by February next year.”

An erroneous EIA

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a fundamental document that needs to be in place when a construction is taking place in an environmentally sensitive area. But officials seem to have failed in drafting an effective EIA. This is mainly due to several risks and vulnerabilities that area residents and the environment would face if the project is proceeded in a haphazard manner. Some of the errors are as follows :

Location

The EIA erroneously asserts that there are no human habitations near the landfill site. But there are two large villages located 300 metres away from the site with a combined population of 5000 people.

Animal attacks

Located only 6 km from the Southern boundary of the Wilpattu National Park and the odour emitted by organic waste from the landfill would attract elephants and other animals to the area. Electric fencing may protect the landfill, but no provision has been made to protect the villages from animal invasions or attacks. When the Daily Mirror visited the area, there were signs of a roaming elephant(s) and animals such as wild boar.

Explosion risk

Methane gas emissions from the landfill exposes the villages located so close to it to explosion risks. The buffer between the landfill and the villages is not adequate to minimise the risk.

Pollution of groundwater

Located right on top of the proposed landfill site is the country’s largest freshwater aquifer. The active limestone quarry located only 1 km from the proposed landfill site exposes the aquifers to leachate leak through landfill lining due to vibration from explosions for limestone extraction. The Daily Mirror learned that groundwater aquifers extend up to Mannar. And Mannar has thousands of tube wells since the area is drier than Puttalam. In the event any affluents mix with water, it would contaminate water in Mannar and this water is utilised by people for drinking and agricultural purposes.

When contacted Rainforest Rescue International Chairman Dr. Ranil Senanayake said that one of the fundamentals to keep in mind when constructing a sanitary landfill facility is that it shouldn’t be close to a river and that it should be located in impervious substrate. “The site is an old limestone quarry. Lime stone is very porous and water moves laterally very fast in such zones. Although there was a plan to put in an impervious layer and pipes to take out the leachate, which could have helped somewhat, it looks as if we are going to dump without any safeguards. What would happen if you dump without an impervious layer is that the leachate would enter the Puttalam lagoon and the Mannar sea where over 18% of the fish consumed through the nation comes from. The leachate containing heavy metals will build up the food chain in the lagoon and sea and begin to poison the population of the country.”

When asked about a long-term solution for the garbage issue, he said that people behind the garbage scam need to be identified. “Just because some politicians thought this country was good for dumping foreign garbage, I pray that the rest of the country does not share these low, hoodlum views of our country. “To begin to create a solution we must begin to think that we are not a garbage dump as a nation. Otherwise there is no long-term solution. So if the Government does not send out all foreign garbage as soon as possible and cancel all trade agreements that allow such destruction, our nation will be known as a foreign dumping land. The only long-term solution is to await a leadership that has the well-being of this nation at heart and can demonstrate it!” said Dr. Senanayake. When asked about these shortcomings, Prof. Mahesh Jayaweera, technical consultant to MOMWD said that there doesn’t seem to be a big issue as portrayed by area residents. “We will monitor vibrations and even take measures to control the odour. For that we will be spraying a bacteria and we already have had discussions with a company that produces this bacteria locally. So they will start working on it very soon. Although area residents have protested against this project, they haven’t proved substantial evidence on why it shouldn’t be done.”

Serakkuli under threat

When the visited Puttalam it was brought to our attention that the project is actually being done in Serakkuli and not in Aruwakkalu. Adjoining villages include Serakkuli, Karaitivu, Periyanagavillu, Mangalapura, Eluwankulam and Gange wadiya and Serakkuli alone has close to 300 families. Their main mode of income is fishing, but fishermen seem to have observed unusual phenomenon such as lifeless mussels floating ashore. The Daily Mirror witnessed thousands of mussels piled up on the seashore and according to the fishermen this could be due to a toxic substance being present at the seabed. They also pointed out that during a heavy downpour, chances are high that garbage would be washed away to the lagoon.