PARLIAMENT

The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) held in Parliament yesterday (26), disclosed that the Kelani River, a major river that supplies water to Colombo and is a major river in the country, has been severely polluted due to unauthorized constructions, unlicensed factories, restaurants and hotels.

The COPE Committee yesterday (26) recommended that the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Water Supply, the Ministry of Public Services, Provincial Councils and Local Government should work together to set up a mechanism to prevent this pollution.

The committee also stressed the need to prevent pollution of the Kelani River as it is directly linked to a number of issues affecting the country, especially drinking water supply, tourism and urban development.

The committee made this recommendation when the COPE chaired by Prof. Charitha Herath met in Parliament yesterday (26) to discuss the Environmental Audit Report on the Kelani River Water Pollution

State Ministers Susil Premajayantha,Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Members of Parliament  Eran Wickramaratne, Jagath Pushpakumara, Premnath. C. Dolawatta, S.M  Marikkar were present at the meeting.

It was noteworthy that using online technology at the COPE meeting for the first time. Accordingly, in addition to the officials who came to the Parliament Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Dr) H.S Munasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Industries W.A Chulananda Perera and, the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Services, Provincial Councils and Local Government J. J Ratnasiri joined the meeting via zoom technology. Secretary to the Ministry of Environment Dr. Anil Jasinghe, , Secretary to the Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage Dr. Priyat Bandu Wickrama, were also present at the COPE Committee. It was also noteworthy that 5 secretaries of the ministries participated in a COPE meeting at the same time.

There are 2946 industries along the Kelani River, out of which 41 industries are without environmental licenses, 205 licenses have been suspended and out of these 17 industries are high risk industries, the COPE Chairman said. Therefore, the Committee stressed the need to take immediate action in this regard.

The COPE focused on the efficiencies of the Wastewater Treatment Plant at the Seethawaka Export Planning Zone and revealed that the treatment was taking place in excess of capacity. However, officials from the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) said measures were already taken to increase the capacity.

The attention was also drawn  to the importance of removing unauthorized constructions on both sides of the Kelani River. MP S.M  Marikkar pointed out that  due to these unauthorized constructions, sewage is discharged into the river and the water is polluted. The Committee noted the  need to rectify the situation as soon as possible as it is  difficult to remove the structures at once.

It was also revealed before the COPE Committee that several hotels and restaurants operating along the Kelani River are under construction and have not obtained environmental protection permits. Especially in Kitulgala area, near the Kelani river, a restaurant has been operating without an environmental protection license for 18 years. The COPE also recommended to take  immediate action in this regard.

The Committee also focused on the disposal of solid waste in the Seethawaka region and the need to look into groundwater in the area. In particular, the COPE Committee recommended that an immediate report on groundwater in the area be submitted to the Committee.