Lahiru Pothmulla Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The service of officials like former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa is felt all the more at this time when the city has been hit by flash floods causing many hindrance to the people, Pivthuru Hela Urumaya (JHU) General Secretary MP Udaya Gammanpila today said.

Addressing a news conference, he said the Gotabaya Rajapaksa era was the golden era of urban development without argument. This is a fact everyone accepts in unison,” he said.

He said Mr. Rajapaksa put an end to the practices of sticking posters on walls, putting banners on lamp posts and dumping garbage on roadsides and to canals. He also removed hawkers from pavements and stopped reclamation of lowlands.

But today, garbage dumps are everywhere. Canals are blocked by garbage resulting in flash floods. No proper garbage disposal management is available today,” Mr. Gammanpila said.

He said there are skilful officials in the Urban Development Authority (UDA) who are capable of keeping the city alive, but they have been isolated after labelling as ‘Gota’s people’.

For the first time in six years, the road to Parliament had been flooded. We request Megapolis and Western Development Minister to look into these issues and to give back ‘Beautiful Colombo’ to the people instead of going for bigger plans,” he said.

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