President Maithripala Sirisena has given instructions to expedite the submission of investigation reports on waste management by the Ministry of Environment and the Central Environmental Authority to take further actions in this regard.

He also gave instructions to the relevant sectors to prepare a new cabinet paper to ban the use of unsafe polythene types.

He made these remarks during a meeting with public servants, including Local Government Commissioners at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday.

The President summoned all the Local Government Commissioners to discuss issues faced by the Local Government institutions in the process of the waste management and to look into the solutions made by them for these issues as well as to discuss the steps that should be taken in the future for waste management.

The Local Government Commissioners drew attention of the President regarding the steps each institution has taken on waste management and the prevailing issues when implementing their plans.

The President also instructed to each Ministry and Local Government Institution to submit proposals to prepare a national policy on waste management.

The President stated to expedite the waste disposal suggestion for Aruakkalu in Puttalam and instructed to submit a report on this proposal to him without any delay.

During the meeting it was revealed that there are nearly 200 places for garbage disposal across the country and a comprehensive report has been prepared in this regard. 25 out of 200 have located in the Western Province and a problematical situation have arisen for only 20 mountains of garbage out of the total of 200 places.

The report on the Meethotamulla garbage dump was presented to the President during the meeting and revealed that at present there is no danger of developing a adverse situation around the area and it has been prepared in a way to face the upcoming rainy season, as well as the garbage dump has been entirely controlled using the technology.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe, Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Vajira Abeywardena, Sajith Premadasa, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Sagala Rathnayake, Faizer Mustapha, Chief Minister of the Western Province, Isura Devapriya, S.M. Marikkar, MP, Heads of the security services including Army Commander, Inspector General of Police and public servants participated on this discussion.

(PMD)