Kandy's Tekawatte garbage dump: A volcano about to erupt

Kandy's Tekawatte garbage dump is a disaster-in-waiting, activists and residents have warned.

They say the 30-acre dump may be on the verge of an explosion due to the high methane level. Questions have also been raised about the suitability of the Katugastota water project, which is to come up on a site below the dump.

Fearing a disaster similar to that of Meethotamulla, the authorities have asked occupants of 60 houses near the garbage dump to move out.

They would be paid compensation, Namal Dissanayake, the municipal engineer in charge of the garbage project said.

He said that, as part of a solution to the garbage crisis, thirty acres had been allocated to a company which was to recycle the garbage.

But Dr. Ben Basnayake, head of the company said, the project was in limbo due to several court cases.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet has approved a proposal for a German company to take over at least ten acres of the Tekawatte dump, and it is believed that a memorandum of understanding was signed during President Maithripala Sirisena's visit to Germany last year.

Residents said they believed that the Municipality was aware that the garbage dump was now a volcano about to erupt. Calling for speedy action to remove the dump, the residents said they were not prepared to accept a "pittance of compensation" and leave the area where they had been living long before the dump was set up. The Ven. Sastrapathi Lassangama Chandajotha Thera, chief incumbent of the Tekawatte Viharaya, said there was a big 'garbage mafia' behind the dump. He charged that millions had been dumped into several garbage- control projects but they had produced very little result.

The Thera said the two temples in the vicinity of the dump had also been issued evacuation notices. "Where can these people who have been living in this area for years go?" the Thera asked.