“This is not a natural disaster. It is a disaster an administration without a plan should be responsible for. In the past hills in the upcountry were subjected to earth slips. Now, garbage dumps have started to collapse. Garbage is dumped to mountain heights and they collapse on the heads of helpless people who have to live underneath these ‘mountains’ as they do not have any other place to live,” states the JVP in a press release issued by the JVP on the Meethotamulla disaster.
JVP calls upon the government and the relevant authorities to pay a substantial compensation for the families of the affected.
The Government should take immediate measures to prevent such disasters occurring again
The garbage dump at Meethotamulla, Kolonnawa has collapsed, several houses nearby have been damaged, about 10 persons have died and several others have been injured. First of all let us extend our deepest sympathies to the families of the dead persons and all those who have been affected due to the disaster.
This is not a natural disaster. It is a disaster an administration without a plan should be responsible for. In the past hills in the upcountry were subjected to earth slips. Now, garbage dumps have started to collapse. Garbage is dumped to mountain heights and they collapse on the heads of helpless people who have to live underneath these ‘mountains’ as they do not have any other place to live. Grabage, made a resource in many other countries using the recycling process, has become a disaster in Sri Lanka. The administrations in our country are so impotent they have not been able to mange garbage either.
There have been various agitations, awareness programmes carried out by residents and environmentalists against dumping garbage at Meethotumulla. However, authorities never listened to them. Authorities did not take measures to remove garbage from there or provide alternative places for the people nearby to live. It is the innocent people who have paid with the lives for this crime. The government and the relevant authorities cannot evade responsibility for the tragedy.
We call upon the government and the relevant authorities to pay a substantial compensation for the families of the dead, the injured and those who have been affected due to the loss or damage to their houses, take steps to solve the issues of those living around Methotamulla garbage dump and take immediate steps to prevent such disasters occurring again.
Political Bureau,
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna.
15.04.2017
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