President Maithripala Sirisena has given instructions to the relevant officials to pay a monthly allowance of Rs.50,000 for three months, to each family evacuated from the high risk area around the Meethotamulla garbage dump in one payment. The objective of this payment is to eliminate the difficulties faced by the people when giving advance payments while renting houses on a temporary basis.

The President gave these instructions during a meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat, today (April 25) on streamlining the waste management in Colombo and its suburbs.

President Sirisena informed the officials to present the strategies prepared by local authorities for waste management and further instructed the officials to summon all the Assistant Commissioners of Local Governments to meet him.

The President also instructed the Environmental Authority to submit a report to him, regarding the officials who travelled overseas for training and observation tours on waste management during the last five years.

Expressing their views during the meeting the officials of the Urban Development Authority said that the perilous situation around the Meethotamulla garbage dump now has been controlled and final decision will be made within the next two months.

During the meeting the future plans of the Colombo Municipal Council on waste management were presented to the President and the officials also assured the President that in the future they will leave no room to create mountains of garbage.

Ministers Susil Premajayantha, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa,Patali Champika Ranawaka,Sajith Premadasa, Faizer Mustapha,Sagala Rathnayaka, Vajira Abeywardena, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, S M Marikkar,MP, Ministry Secretaries including Secretary to the President, P.B. Abeykoon, Tri Forces Commanders, Inspector General of Police and the State officials participated in this event.

 -PMD