Another part of the Meethotamulla garbage dump may collapse in case of rain. The people residing at risky areas will be directed to safe locations, Disaster Management Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said.
Addressing the media at the Disaster Management Ministry Auditorium yesterday, he said the death toll from the Meethotamulla dump site collapse had risen to 32. Eight persons were reported missing. About 1,059 persons from 246 families were affected by the garbage dump collapse, the minister said.
He said the present administration is not prepared to blame others or shy away from its responsibilities on the Meethotamulla garbage dump problem although the issue has been a long standing one under successive governments.
He said the government will provide a sustainable solution to the garbage issue.
Minister Yapa said: “Terrance N. de Silva Maha Vidyalaya provides temporary shelter for the victims until the school reopens. The victims will be evacuated to the two paddy warehouses in Kolonnawa.”
The minister said waste at the Meethotamulla dump site would be recycled to cease inconvenience to the people. Measures would be taken to relocate the dump site in Aruwakkalu, Puttalam, he said.
“Categorising waste will be made mandatory within the Colombo city. Priority will be given to implement a proper waste disposal mechanism,” the minister said.
He said financial assistance would be received from the Korean government to establish five sanitary landfills islandwide.
Techniques such as ‘waste to energy’ would be adopted to find a solution to the garbage crisis, he said.
The minister said discussions would be held once every three days regarding the dump site collapse under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
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