SLLRDC, CMC faceoff over garbage collection

By Nuwan Senarathna 

In the wake of the dispute between the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) and the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC) over the disposal of Colombo city garbage, SLLRDC Chairman Roshan Gunawardena claimed the corporation would consider resuming operations if the CMC was ready to settle 50% of the Rs. 157 million due to the company.

Waste accumulated by the CMC is dumped at the Kerawalapitiya garbage dump, which comes under the purview of the SLLRDC, which has rejected the garbage due to the arrears it is owed.

Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake condemned the SLLRDC’s decision last Saturday (6), stating that it was holding the CMC to ransom, and directed the CMC to settle the pending payment for the service provided. 

The Mayor also claimed the SLLRDC had imposed a price hike on its services, increasing the charge for one metric ton of garbage from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000.

However, SLLRDC chairman Roshan Gunawardena addressing a press conference yesterday said the corporation had not increased its rates.

“We did not increase the price of garbage; from the beginning of the process we have maintained a fixed price of Rs. 5,000 per unsorted garbage metric ton and Rs. 3,000 per sorted garbage MT. SLLRDC charges a higher price for unsorted garbage in order to push the CMC to sort the garbage as the post process in handling unsorted garbage is too costly,” he asserted.

Gunawardene pointed out that the CMC had not settled the arrears of Rs. 157 million despite repeated reminders. 

He said the SLLRDC had informed the CMC of its decision to halt operations on 1 October by letter and the Ministry of Megapolis, under which the SLLRDC operates, had also written to the CMC on 4 October, calling for the settlement of the outstanding payment.

He said the SLLRDC issued an invoice for a period of 15 months starting from 1 May 2017 to 31 June 2018, while the invoice from July to September this year had not been prepared yet.

“We are not responsible for the garbage within Colombo city limits; nor does garbage clearance fall under our purview. We stepped in to assist following a request from the Government after the Meethotamulla tragedy. It is the responsibility of the CMC. This is a task it has enforced upon us,” he charged.

“The SLLRDC waited for more than two months since issuing the invoice and we repeatedly requested a meeting with the Colombo Mayor, but our requests were not taken into consideration. We believe that someone has misinformed the Mayor,” he added. 

Gunawardene also said that the SLLRDC rejected the Mayor’s claims that the CMC was being held for ransom.