Mobile food vending menace on Dickman’s Road

It appears the Medical Officers of Health (MOH) in the Colombo Municipal Council are ‘liberal’ in issuing permits for the operation of so-called mobile food outlets, disregarding their negative results.

Residents of Colombo 5 and the motoring public are well aware that Dickman’s Road is an extremely busy road with four very popular schools being served by it, in addition to an SLT Regional Office, the Havelock Town Post Office, a University College and three popular restaurants.

But in this case, the MOH of District 4, had issued a permit to operate a ‘mobile’ food outlet (which is static) at the entrance to the private road from Dickman’s Road, leading to the Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) office and resident owners of houses, served by it. This is causing increased traffic congestion and inconveniences to the public, as well as residents, in addition to causing environmental problems.

Already this private road is heavy with traffic due to customers visiting the SLT office to pay their bills in the hundreds. Even the police are unable to act on this vendor due to them having a CMC permit.

How could a CMC MOH issue a permit, abutting a private road without considering the detrimental effects that goes with it? Does it mean that political influence and/or black money are involved in this decision, which should be reversed?

TILAKARATNE RANAWEERA

AN AFFECTED RESIDENT

But in this case, the MOH of District 4, had issued a permit to operate a ‘mobile’ food outlet (which is static) at the entrance to the private road from Dickman’s Road, leading to the Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) office and resident owners of houses, served by it