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UK garbage: Govt. Analyst yet to submit detailed report to court
The Government Analyst is yet to comply with the Court of Appeal orders which directed him to submit a detailed report on waste material found in more than 200 containers shipped from Britain.
When asked Government Analyst A. Welianga told the Sunday Times he had still not examined or analysed the contents of the containers though the detection was made in July at the Colombo Port.
He said that when the case was taken up for hearing for the second time, he submitted a written document, explaining the difficulties he was facing in producing a detailed report on the matter.
Asked what these difficulties were, he declined to elaborate.
The containers are still being detained at the Colombo port.
Dilena Pathragoda., managing director of the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) which filed the case, insisted that the waste cargo should be sent back to Britain. But this could not be done because the contents were primary evidence relating to the case.
The CEJ official said the delay on the part of the Government Analyst in submitting a detailed report was due to lack of facilities to conduct the tests.
The CEJ will file counter objections on December 9 following which, it is expected to present written submissions within 15 days. The matter will be taken up for arguments on Feb 13 next year.
Meanwhile, Customs Deputy Director Aqthar Hassen said they had informed the Attorney General of the detection of 22 more containers with waste material at the Colombo and the Court of Appeal would be apprised of the detection.