Garbage Dumping Case

Residents within the Colombo Municipality Council (CMC) city limits file a case in the Supreme Court (SC) claiming that the CMC and the private garbage collecting company, Burns Trading Pvt. Limited do not regulate the dumping of garbage within city limits. They also stated that the collecting of garbage was not being carried out in a proper and routinely manner.

In 2009, a case was filed by the residents of the Karadiyana area at the Kesbewa Magistrates’s Court stating that illegal garbage dumping was taking place at the Karadiyana area, affecting natural water bodies such as the Weras Ganga and Bolgoda Lake, which also began causing illness to the residents. The case was filed against the CMC, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council, Boralesgamuwa Urban Council, Moratuwa Municipal Council and the Kesbewa Municipal Council.

On the 18th of December 2009, the Supreme Court ordered the Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL) and the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) to supervise the Karadiyana Garbage dumping site of a regular manner, together with the Kesbewa Magistrate.

According to the Court, there should be constant monitoring, collection and dumping of garbage within the Colombo city limits by the CMC. The Court also stated that whenever possible, the conversion of garbage into energy should take place at the Kerawalapitiya Centre (by using the garbage at the Blumendhal garbage dumping site). This is carried out under the ‘Waste to Energy’ project by the Waste Management Authority.

It was also declared by the Court that no further garbage dumping would take place at Blumendhal.

Mid 2012, it was decided by the SC that the CEA was to monitor the progress of all garbage dumping and collecting. The case was mentioned once every three months in court in order to monitor and evaluate the situation related to garbage dumping. The proceedings were terminated by the Supreme Court as the case was long drawn with the CEA undertaking to monitor the conditions of the garbage dumping and collecting.

However there is very little progress in this matter even after the conclusion of the case as there is a decrease in the monitoring of the said site.