Residents disrupt traffic at Ja-Ela in protest over garbage issue
View(s):Thousands of residents brought traffic to a standstill in Ja-Ela town near Negombo on Tuesday protesting against attempts to transfer the Meethotamulla garbage in Colombo to a proposed new dumpsite at Ekala (on the Minuwangoda road). The protest commenced from Ekala Junction at 9 am with thousands marching in opposition to the move and then gathered at the middle of Ja-Ela town where marchers from other areas walked along the roads and joined the main protesting group in front of the Ja-Ela Police station, blocking all exit roads to and from from Ja-Ela. This is a continuation of similar protests some weeks back after the authorities decided to transfer the garbage at the Meethotamulla ‘garbage mountain’ to a new site at Ekala, which residents say will cause major environmental and health issues. E.M.B.S. Jayasundera, Ja-Ela Divisional Secretary using a megaphone then approached the protestors, and assured that their memorandum addressed to the President and the Prime Minister would be delivered to them and noted that all the political leaders around the area had pledged that they are against the move to dump the Meethotamulla gabage at Ekala. Several Catholic priests and Buddhist monks took part in the protest. -(QP)