Govt.to use FTZ to dump garbage?
View(s):The government saddled with the issue of a venue to dump its garbage is considering the Katunayake Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in its quest for a probable location much to the dismay of workers, employers and authorities.
Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faizer Mustapha, State Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Deputy Finance and Mass Media Minister Lasantha Alagiyawannawa and officials had visited the Katunayake FTZ on two separate occasions last week with the intention of looking at options to dump garbage from Colombo and other areas inside the zone. They were said to have visited the zone’s dumping ground where refuse from within the zone is collected, Board of Investment (BOI) sources said confirming that their officials were present during the visit.
Upset over the move, FTZ trade unions have written to the relevant authorities including President Maithripala Sirisena to intervene in the matter without letting the FTZ become a zone for dumping garbage. The 12 branch unions of the FTZ met and decided to remain vigilant in the zones should relevant authorities attempt to use the zone for this purpose.
Meanwhile, it is also learnt that this location had been pursued by the relevant minister during a Cabinet meeting which certain authorities denounce this move as “stupid.”
The FTZ has 85 factories and operates also as a customs zone where each and every vehicle is checked upon entry and passes issued to permit entry into the zone.At a time when investors need to be allocated space in the zones, the intention of the government to dump garbage at the FTZ has raised serious concerns. During the visit BOI officials had informed the authorities about the sensitivity of the zone insisting that it would not look good if BMWs of investors and garbage trucks were seen entering the zone from the same entrance.
They had also pointed out that the zone was dealing with export oriented companies and expressed concerns should something go wrong. In addition, the zone was said to be in proximity to the villages as well, it was highlighted.The BOI zone has a systematic method of managing waste through the Reduce, Recycle and Reuse system and was using cleaner production techniques as well.
Once all the garbage is collected they are segregated and reused and the rest sent to the Holcim kiln in Puttalam for processing.
Authorities had also insisted that they did not have the kind of capacity to manage such a lot of municipal waste at the BOI zone in Katunayaka and added that they were only engaged in managing industrial waste.
Meanwhile, the FTZ Manufacturers’ Association has also lodged their protest against such an operation within the zone.