An expert team from the University of Peradeniya handed over their 42-page report on the collapse of the Meethotamulla garbage dump to the police today. This was in accordance to an order from the Hulftsdorp Magistrate’s Court asking the team to conduct an investigation into the matter.
Vice Chancellor, Upul Dissanayake handed over the report to the police who will then submit it to courts. The Police Environmental Protection Division is expected to submit the report to courts on 12 June.
The courts had directed Vice Chancellor Dissanayake to conduct the investigation and he in turn had appointed a committee of 14 researchers from the Engineering, Agriculture and Arts faculties to conduct the study over a period of two months.
Peradeniya University, Civil Engineering Department Head, Dr Jayalath Edirisinghe led the team and they conducted field visits, in addition to studying reports from the Meteorological Department and National Building Research Organization and other organizations for their report.
Dr Edirisinge said they had investigated into 12 causes of the collapse including a possible earthquake, sabotage, impacts of the rain, weight of the garbage, emission from certain chemicals and fire to find out the exact reason of the collapse.
As the report was prepared on a court order, Dr Edirisinghe said the finer details of the report could not be revealed to the media prior to it being produced before courts.
ASP of the Police Environmental Protection Division, Manoj Perera in the meantime said the police would produce the reports to courts on 12 June and they courts would dictate future action.
He further said that the police had investigated into whether the collapse was an act of sabotage and thus far have found no evidence to point in that direction.
The handing over of the report to the police occurred at a ceremony at the Engineering faculty of the University. Engineering Faculty Dean, Prof Leelananda Rajapakse, Prof H.N. Seneviratne who helped with the report, Prof, S.B.S Abeykoon, Dr L.C. Kurukulasuriya, Dr G.B.B. Herath, Dr H.K. Nandalal, Dr S. N. Jinadasa, Dr. K.K. Chamindu, Dr R.G. Attapattu, Dr C.S. Kalpage, Prof S.P Nissanka, Dr M.I.M. Mawjood, Dr A.K. Karunaratne and Prof M.R. Pinnawala participated at the event.
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