Kelani River Under Threat Again ?
By Hafsa Sabry(Sunday Leader)
It is now not an easy task to obtain approval to set up a chemical factory in the close proximity to the Kelani River that could cause water pollution. However, a large complex building, for the manufacture of boxes for packaging, is allegedly being constructed in the Kaduwela area. This new factory is said to be less than 500 meters away from the Kelani River. Now questions have been raised how the particular company had received approval from the respective authorities despite the strict implementation of the Cabinet decision to prevent any factory construction along the Kelani River.
The Cabinet Ministers had approved recommendation made by the Ministry of Environment and Renewable Energy not to allow to operate any industries that pollute the Kelani River basin unless approved by a special committee consisting of the representatives of the Central Environment Authority (CEA), Board of Investments (BOI), and Science and Technology Ministry in consultation with the Urban Development Authority (UDA). There had been a presidential directive for strict implementation of this rule.
This Micro Packaging company is considered a high polluting industry because it uses printing inks and chemicals to manufacture glue. It is in the area under the Biyagama Divisional Secretariat. The area is considered the upstream of the Kelani River from where drinking water is taken. Although registered as a BOI Company, it is accused of flouting all laws applicable to Environmental Protection. However, the residents in the area claim that to obtain the Environmental Protection License (EPL), the company had bribed CEA officials.
They also claimed that there is no proper affluence treatment plant, and the affluent is removed from the factory and dumped in areas which are not easy to detect. Few years back, the residents complained when the affluent were discharged within the factory without treatment, as the drinking water wells were contaminated with chemicals.
Solution required
Environmentalists in the country voice against the company being under construction within 500 meters of the Kelani river bank along the Biyagama, Kaduwala area, which is a highly sensitive area of water contamination with dangerous chemicals. The relevant authorities should aim to arrive at a promising solution for this issue.
The government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) introduced a programme to protect the rivers to prevent any heavy metallic contamination by commercial industries in future. According to the programme, there can be no factories constructed within 100 meters of river banks as they are considered the conservation area.
“The respective authorities must consider inspecting the wastage disposal system of the company to arrest any environmental contamination. They should also consider protecting the Kelani River which is one of the water resources for many people in Colombo and suburbs, ” said Ravindra Kariyawasam, an environmentalist and researcher of the Centre for Environmental and Nature Studies (CENS).
He also claimed that instead of building wells within the premises to dispose their waste water, the factories should have a proper water purification system to prevent any accidental leakage of those wellswhich will lead not only to river contamination but also to soil contamination in the area. Therefore, the relevant authorities should carry out an investigation into that as well.
Unawareness
Director for Environmental Pollution Control Unit (EPC), Devika Vithanage claimed that the CEA is unaware of how the approval was obtained by the company in question and has requested Western Province officials who have authorized the approval of the factory to submit a report on what condition was the approval was given.
The report is expected to be submitted to the CEA by the relevant authorities by next week.
“The CEA is carrying out an investigation into the company whether it comes under the category of waste water generating industries to find out the system of waste water treatment of the company”, said Devika.
“Since the western province division of CEA has the authorization to approve a company’s operation under its province and they have given the approval for the particular company which the CEA is not aware of. Therefore, we are carrying out an investigation with regard to the company’s approval “, she further claimed.
‘No objections’
Since the company in question is under construction along the upstream of the Kelani River which intake water for distribution in Colombo and suburbs, it is definitely a threat to the National water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB). Hence, we questioned the Chairman of the NWSDB Sri Lanka in this regard.
Speaking to The Sunday Leader K.A. Ansar said the NWSDB is unaware of this particular company being under construction as the usual procedure of the CEA requesting the ‘No objection’ report from the Board whenever there is a construction of factories along the Kelani River has been ignored.
Nevertheless, he claimed that if the factory is constructed violating laws applicable for Environmental Act, it will be a threat to the people who use water from the NWSDB. He added that he with his officials will be vigilant and will begin a search study about the construction and the waste management system of the company.
Recommendation
Speaking to The Sunday Leader, Director for Western Province Environment Authority Gamage, however, claimed that they are unaware of whether the construction of the particular company has begun as they have given only the environmental recommendation to the Kaduwela Municipal Council of to inspect the constructional activities.
The Municipal Council area will issue a building construction development permit after they approve the building plan of the company. They will adhere to the instructions given by the planning committee of the Municipal Council after a thorough inspection of the environmental recommendation reports and the building plan of the company. He also claimed that the company which is said to be under construction near the Kelani River basin meets the necessary requirements of the National Environmental Act. Therefore, a recommendation has been issued to the relevant authorities to carry out further inspections.
“We issued the environmental recommendation under 21 conditions that the company should have a properly planned system for water, noise and air pollution controls while having a proper solid waste management. The company should also meet all the necessity requirements for it to have an environmental recommendation from the Western Provincial Office CEA”, claims Gamage.
The Sunday Leader questioned how the Western Provincial Office of the CEA issued an environmental recommendation in favour for the construction of the company despite the Cabinet paper being issued on preventing the approval for constructing industries in the Kelani River bank unless obtaining a special committee approval.
Then Gamage claimed that the particular cabinet paper does not prohibit giving approval for this type of companies. Therefore, it neither violates the cabinet paper nor the President’s directives. He further added that they deny all the allegations against the Authority with regard to the bribes being accepted by the officials.
Allegation are baseless – Micro Packaging GM
Micro Packaging Company General Manager Senaka said that he denies the allegations against the company as the company’s functions have been approved by relevant government authorities.”I request the accusers to measure the distance between the river and the factory before making allegations,” he claimed.
He also claimed that other industries are also in the area which is not a conservation area of the Kelani River. Our factory functions in the most environment-friendly manner. Most of the wastepaper disposals are exported to India through the local exporters and the ink wastes are sent back to the glue-making sector in our factory.
“We have a purification system in the factory premises above the ground level. The chemical treatment of the plant absorbs the sludge of the waste water which comes out as clean treated water. This water causes no harm to the environment and the Kelani River,” he further stated.
The rest of the factory wastage is sent to the Holcim (Pvt.) Limited to be used in their operation claims the General Manager. He also said that the factory would not be given all the necessity government documents if it has acted against the Environmental Act of Sri Lanka. “We are not comfortable in functioning our company if t our neighbours disagree. So the allegations against the company are baseless”, he claimed.
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2015/11/08/kelani-river-under-threat-again/