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The Meethotamulla Avurudu tragedy where a fire at the mountainous garbage dump snuffed out more than 30 lives and left several missing has laid bare some incredible stories.

ne such instance was how a food importer had dumped a large stock of outdated sausages there. A group picked up the stocks, washed them, re-packed them and sold them to smaller grocery outlets. There is little doubt they ended up on the plates of unsuspecting consumers.

This is just one of the stories related to Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka by his senior officials who were deployed to visit the scene of the tragedy and report their findings.

Another was how a local council which was not authorised to dump garbage at Meethotamulla, did so. This council is in the north of Colombo. Tractor loads were brought in during midnight. A man who operated a fleet of tractors had been paid Rs 9,000 per load. Of this amount, only a paltry Rs 1,000 had been paid to those at the garbage dump for dumping some 300 tons of cargo daily. The moral of the story was clear – there is a lot of money even in garbage.

What did the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry do with regard to garbage disposal? An official said it had called for ‘Request For Proposals’ (RFP) several months ago and received 123 bids by those wanting to establish waste disposal projects. In view of strong canvassing, the Ministry had placed a US$ 50,000 deposit and a number of local bidders backed out thereafter, the official said.

Then came an incredible revelation: Among those who had made bids were those officials holding high positions at offices of very senior politicians in the Government. They were promoting overseas clients and the exercise could not proceed when their identities were found out, an official said. Thus, he said, the garbage which usually is allowed up to heights of 30 metres had gone up to 42.5 metres at Pottuvil Kumbura, the state land where the garbage mountain lies at Meetotamulla.

A lesser known fact was that the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) had set apart Rs. 600 million to evacuate families living around the garbage dump area. Two weeks before the devastating tragedy, the CMC had pasted notices on 25 houses and offered them a measly Rs 15,000 to leave their homes because they were in danger. Only 14 families accepted the offer. Some of the notices posted on the houses still remain.

Imad Zuberi with ex-US President Obama

Lanka’s PR operator Zuberi now with Trump
In the news again is Imad Zuberi, the Pakistani national who was one of those hired by the then Monitoring MP for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, to carry out “public relations” work in the US “to promote Sri Lanka”.
Mr Gunawardena had ensured that he be paid millions of dollars for the exercise which produced little or no results. Mr. Zuberi is in the news once again. This is what the New York Times had to say in a story about those who funded Donald Trump’s election campaign last year:

“A $900,000 donation came in December from Avenue Ventures, a California-based boutique money management firm founded by the entrepreneur Imad Zuberi. Mr. Zuberi was a top fund-raiser for President Barack Obama and for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. Mr. Zuberi was also paid millions of dollars to work in Washington on behalf of the scandal-plagued government of Sri Lanka and its central bank, work he did not initially disclose to the Justice Department as required by federal law, according to a report in Foreign Policy magazine.

“Mr. Zuberi is now making inroads in Mr. Trump’s circle. After making the donation, he earned a coveted spot at the Chairman’s Global Dinner, a pre-inauguration, black-tie gathering intended to introduce the incoming president to the foreign diplomatic corps. A photo from the event shows Mr. Zuberi in conversation with Mr. Trump and other guests.
“Mr. Zuberi did not return a phone call seeking comment.”

Higher post for Shavendra
Major General Shavendra de Silva, Adjutant General in the Army, has also been named as Colonel Commandant of the Gajaba Infantry Regiment. He succeeds Major General Udaya Perera who retired this week.

Ministerial committee to decide on LNG plants, refineries and cement plants
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) has appointed an eight-member ministerial subcommittee to “draft an overall policy” on constructing, locating and operating Liquid Natural Gas plants, refineries and cement plants.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who chairs the CCEM has named Special Assignment Minister Sarath Amunugama as the Chairman. Other members are Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrema, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, Petroleum Resources Minister Chandima Weerakkody, Disaster Management Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Ports and Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga and Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen.

It was noted at a recent meeting of the CCEM that Sri Lanka had made commitments to three countries namely India, Japan and China regarding the construction of LNG Power plants.

With regard to the location of an LNG terminal, the minutes of the CCEM meeting in question point out that a “decision was to be taken.” It was noted that a Joint Cabinet Memorandum on this matter will be submitted by the Ministers of Power and Renewable Energy, Petroleum Resources Development and Ports and Shipping.

This is the first time the CCEM has begun appointing Cabinet subcommittees to go into key issues. They were earlier the sole responsibility of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Meethotamulla: Early debate not possible
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday told the ‘Joint Opposition’ Parliamentary Group leader Dinesh Gunawardena that an early debate in Parliament over the Meethotamulla garbage tragedy would not be possible.

He said in a letter to Mr Gunawardena, in response to his request to summon Parliament, that he would not be available in Sri Lanka together with some ministers. Premier Wickremesinghe said a date would have to be fixed for later next month and added that relief measures had already been taken to help those affected.

New law on voluntary disclosures
The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to request the Legal Draftsman to formulate legislation for a law on Voluntary Disclosures.This disclosure is provision of information by a company’s management beyond accepted accounting principles and rules of the Securities Exchange. Such information is believed to be useful for users of the company’s annual reports.

Green light for smart LED street lights
Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faiszer Musthapha has won the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to replace conventional street lights with “smart controlled LED streets lights.” However, ministers raised a number of questions on the matter which will cost the Government millions of rupees. Now a committee of official has been asked to go into the different aspects. They include:

• The quantum of anticipated electricity savings on account of the implementation of the proposed project.
• The manner in which the benefit of the electricity savings could be shared between the proposed investor and the Government of Sri Lanka.
• The method of repayment to be adopted in respect of the investment made by the proposed investor on this project.

The officials’ committee will be led by the Secretary to the Treasury (or a Deputy) and include the Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy (or an Additional Secretary) and the Secretary to the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government (or an Additional Secretary).