News
Fire at Mawanella garbage dump
View(s):A fire which started at a garbage dump at Randiwala in Mawanella on Friday has spread. Smoke and fumes emanating from the burning garbage have enveloped several areas outside the immediate vicinity of the fire.
According to residents the prevalent drought resulted in the fire spreading rapidly and around four acres of a rubber plantation at Kirigalawatta has been destroyed.
While no homes have been destroyed, the large extent of land that has been devastated is causing concern among people in the area who allege that they received little assistance from the authorities to quell the fire.
Residents fear that with the onset of the monsoon rains -expected soon- the garbage dump could collapse causing yet more damage. Residents claim the garbage dump has also affected waterways and ground water sources in the area, and appeal to the authorities to find a solution to this problem as it is now posing a danger to their health. Among the villages most affected are, Karapane, Udumahana, Yatimahana, Nepalana and Kirigahawatta.
Residents fear the garbage dump could collapse during the forthcoming monsoon season. Pix by Saman Wije Bandara
Section of the rubber estate devastated when the fire spread
Smoke and fumes from the fire have engulfed villages outside the immediate area of the fire