Government currently formulating national policy on garbage disposal

The government is in the process of formulating a national policy regarding the disposal of garbage in the country, the Attorney General informed Supreme Court today.

Additional Solicitor General Indika Demuni de Silva appearing on behalf of the Attorney General made this remarks pursuant to a Fundamental Rights petition filed by an environmental activist and an environmental organization challenging the gazette notification issued by President Maithripala Sirisena in the capacity of Minister of Environment over the garbage issue in the country.

When the petition came up before Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Chief Justice Priyasath Dep and Justice Anil Goonaratne and Justice Vijith Malalgoda, the respondents were directed to inform in Court the progress of formulating a national policy on November 16. 

The Minister of Environment issued a gazette notification bearing No.2015/53 dated April 20 under the Public Security Ordinance declaring that “all services, work or labour or any description what-so-ever necessary or required to be done in connection with any undertaking performed or maintained by any local authority or for and on behalf of any such Local Authority for the clearance, collection, transportation, temporary storage, processing, separation, treatment, disposal and sale of street refuse, house refuse or other similar matter”.

Ranjith Sisira Kumara, an environmental activist and Centre for Environmental Justice filed this petition through counsel Ravindranath Dabare and Nilmal Wickremasinghe and Prabhani Samaraweera naming Central Environmental Authority, the Attorney General and several others as respondents.

The petitioners sought an order declaring that the gazette notification bearing No.2015/53 is null and void and of no force avail in law.

They further sought an order directing the respondents to formulate a proper procedure of management of waste and to formulate a proper regulations and mechanism of monitoring such activities.