The Chairman of the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), Thilak Hewawasam, stated that authorities expect to completely remove accumulated garbage in the flood-affected suburbs of Colombo, following Cyclone Ditwah, within approximately 10 days.
He highlighted that in the Kolonnawa area alone, about 8,000 metric tons of mixed waste have accumulated, and efforts are underway to clear this amount within approximately two days.
He also noted that areas such as Kotikawatta and Mulleriyawa have accumulated substantial amounts of garbage, estimated at 10,000 to 12,000 metric tons.
Elaborating on the cleanup efforts, Hewawasam said:
“Currently, the Western Provincial Authority is running a very successful operation, deploying about 100 lorry loads daily. I believe they will complete all this within a period of about 10 days. However, the generation of waste is continuous, as cleaning activities in some houses and business premises are still ongoing. This is a disaster that followed the initial disaster.”
