The government plans to commission the operations of the sanitary landfill site in Aruwakkalu, Puttalam by November this year, Central Environmental Authority (CEA) Deputy Director General (Waste Management) Eng. Upali Indraratne said.
He said the solid waste disposal issue of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) would be solved to a greater extent with the commissioning of the Aruwakkalu landfill and waste-to-energy projects in Karadiyana and Muthurajawela.
Indraratne was addressing the media during a site visit to the Dompe sanitary landfill site, yesterday.
A team of CEA officials will make an inspection tour of the Aruwakkalu landfill next week as the government seeks to speed up its construction.
Indraratne said the CEA had decided to take legal action against local government authorities which fail to keep the city clean, despite having all facilities and resources.
He added that the CEA had provided facilities to all local government bodies in Gampaha and Batticaloa to ensure the safe disposal of waste. He said about 30 metric tonnes of the segregated waste of six local government authorities; Colombo Municipal Council, Gampaha Municipal Council, Dompe Pradeshiya Sabha, Biyagama Pradeshiya Sabha, Atthanagalla Pradeshiya Sabha and Katana Pradeshiya Sabha, are accepted at the Dompe landfill site daily.
CEA Waste Management Unit Director Sarojini Jayasekara said the Dompe landfill, which commenced operations in April 2015, had caused no environmental or health hazards up to now, adding that it is a good example of scientific disposal of waste.
She said the construction of four more landfills in Jaffna, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Galle will commence by the end of this year. Recalling the challenges the CEA had to face in going ahead with the Dompe landfill due to public protests, she urged public support in carrying out the planned projects.
Dompe landfill site Manager Udamina Jayatilleka was also present.
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