Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Due to heavy rains in Colombo and in areas  upstream of Kelani River ,area where Garbage is dumped in Meethotamulle is flooded and inaccessible

Daily garbage collections is stranded with no place to dump

 Alternative dumping locations in Madampitya ,Karadiyana  and other places cannot be considered due to heavy public pressure

Alternative land and a methodology to be identified for above purpose

2.    Solution

All the stranded garbage should be transported to the 200 acre land in Muthurajawela .which is cleared by CEA for reclamation using Sea Sand

Immediate action should be taken to use all the machinery available in SLLRDC and fill  2-3 acres of existing marsh to fill about 1-2 feet with sea sand lying in Muthurajawela

Garbage Lorries can have access to the filled area and  dump the garbage on part filled land ,simultaneously and immediately covered with Sea sand

Excavators should dredged a wider peripheral canal isolating the dumpsite

To solve the problem of transportation may be caused by the people along the route .

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Army and Navy should be deployed to handle the public

Access to Muthurajawela site is only via Gunasekera Mawatha from Negombo –Colombo Road which is quite narrow ,and the residents will start throwing stones to lorries .It happened earlier when containers were transported thru that road.

Other access is via Alakanda Road along Hamilton Canal ,which is also quite narrow and another hail of stones may follow by residents as few hundred truck load carrying raw wet garbage will stink unless they are bailed and covered.

3.    Emergency action plan

His excellency President should call following officers for a meeting to issue instructions to carry out the emergency plan detailed ABOBVE

·        Army commander

·        Navy Commander

·        IGP

·        Secretary to Ministry of  Megapolis

·        Minister of Megapolis

·        Chief Minister /WP

·        The Mayor of Colombo

·        Division secretary Wattala

·        Hon John Amaratunge

·        Chairman CEA

·        Chairman RDA

·        Chairman SLLRDC

·        Chairman UDA

·        Director Waste disposal /WP

·        Attorney General –AG

·        Director –State TV stations

H E President may have to declare partial emergency to cover emergency action required to overcome the problems due to floods ( AG  should advise )

An Officer from the Sri Lanka Army should be appointed to manage the procedure detailed above .

CEA chairman should approve the procedure under emergency and nominate a monitoring committee

Executing agency should be SLLRDC  and use Sri Lanka Army trucks and drivers to carry out transportation 

CONCEPT PAPER  INTERMEDIATE SOLUTION FOR SOLVING CRISIS IN MEETHOTAMULLE COLOMBO  MUNICIPAL DIPSOSAL SITE

Prepared by Dr Sarath Obeysekera ( Ex-Chairman SLLRCDC )CEO Colombo Dockyard Ltd

1.     Purpose

Meethotamulle in Kollonawa area is being used by Colombo Municipal Council           ( CMC)  as a garbage dumping ground ,which has created an extremely hazardous environment ,which led to mass scale protests by the residents in the area .The matter has been taken to courts by some people seeking legal redress due to the fact the authorities have not been able to find a long lasting solution.

A company with majority shareholding held by Western Power ( a subsidiary of Aitken Spence ) has mooted a project to segregate garbage  to compost and dry burnable material with plans for generating electricity. The project is on stand still due to non-availability of an investor

.Many other private investors are trying to find an economically viable solution and unfortunately none has come with a viable plan.

1.     Immediate Requirement

It is ESSENTIAL to find an alternative site to dump almost 1200 tons garbage  delivered daily by CMC to at least calm the public down ,but neither UDA nor CMC has been able to find a land for above .

Over 2-3 million tons of old and new garbage are lying in Meethotatamulle and the immediate requirement is get rid of part or the whole heap to some other place in close vicinity.

It is not advisable to carry raw wet garbage to any land nearby  to dump as it may not be cost effective but also it may generate public outcry

Hence solution below will be the most suitable option providing that the Government and the Authorities who have a land bank and the resources agree with the plan proposed

2.     Intermediate Solution

Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation ( SLLDC) –holds a land bank near Colombo.

In Muthrajawela SLLRDC developed a 400 acres as am Industrial park ,by reclaiming a marsh with Sea sand in 1996 after obtaining Environment Clearance .and now fully occupied by various companies as fuel and gas storage ,ware housing and power generation etc .

SLLRDC lately obtain environment clearance to reclaim 200 more acres between the buffer zone and the 400 acre developed plot and now ready to offer to investors for various industries.

SLLRDC has also pumped over 2.5 million Cu M of Sea sand which is now stock piled next to the 200 acre plot and being sold   to retail buyers .

This stock pile of sand can be used to reclaim the 200 acres and offer to investors, and SLLRDC has advertised the land calling for offers.

Government can initiate a action plan to remove the OLD garbage which has already being party composted lying in the southern part of the Meethotamulle Dump using trucks to the 200 acre plot for reclamation .

It is advisable to use part of the available sand to lay a 1-2 feet layer in the marshy layer  of 200 acres prior to dumping of the OLD GARBAGE and fresh layer of either sand or earth ( being excavated in many building sites in Colombo) can be used to cover the garbage payers one by one .

SLLRDC has a large fleet of equipment and trucks  which are idling and the workforce can undertake this work .

Government via Treasury and also from CMC coffers funds should be made available to SLLRDC to carry out above work

It is anticipated that removal of the OLD GARBAGE can be completed within 3- 4 months.

Land which is cleared in Meethotmualle dump may be used to install a Garbage sorting ware house and compacting unit  for further transportation either for incineration or  degasifying else where

Residents in the area can have employment for segregation of the garbage, which is now being practiced in Karadiyana Site in Moratuwa

Part of the 200 acre land can be used for installation of the incineration plant which can be the source to generate steam for power generation .

The land reclaimed by above means can be offered to Investors who may come with a investment plan to generate power using the raw garbage which can be transported after compacting and bailing

3.     Executing Agencies

 CMC ,UDA ,SLLRDC and a Treasury Representative shall form a committee headed by a high powered authoritative person  who shall report to Prime Minister for speedy execution of the project .

Government shall appoint a high powered officer  who can undertake to manage and  above task providing absolute authority is given to  executing above, subject to agreement by all three agencies above

Treasury Representative shall provide avenues to source funds for the above project 

LAND IN MUTHURAWELA

2.     Conclusion

During a reason visit to Maldive Island .the writer has witnessed how garbage is carried by landing crafts to an area closed to the city ,and over 500 acres has been reclaimed by du ping garbage and covering with sea sand .

This newly generated land is now a Industrial Estate in Male

Maldives has vey stringent environment rules and yet they opted to do above to solve the problem

Therefore reclaiming the land observing proper guidelines not to pollute the area for Industrial Purpose is the ideal short term solution for above problem

RECLAIMED LAND IN MALE USING GARBAGE

Prepared by Dr Sarath Obeysekera ( Ex-Chairman SLLRCDC

CEO Colombo Dockyard Ltd

05/05/15

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