Waste disposal pump house draws protests

The construction of a pump house for a solid waste disposal project, in front of the Thumbomaluwa Vihara facing William Gopallawa Mawatha, has drawn protests from the Buddhist public and the clergy.

The notice relating to the construction of the pump house at the site which was once a thriving paddy field.

The chief incumbent of the Vihara Ven. Walmuruwe Dhammapola Thera has sent protest letters to the President, the Central Province Governor and the Chief Minister saying the construction of the pump house would be a hindrance to the Vihara and the Dhamma school.

The protest banner in front of the Vihara with the Bo tree and the Dagaba in the background

At the inception when this area was selected for the solid waste disposal project a protest campaign by the clergy and the public made the authorities change their minds. A site at Gannoruwa was selected and then a place opposite the Getambe Temple and the Mahaweli Ganga. Here too there had been protests.

When the solid waste disposal project for Kandy was mooted the public and the clergy were made to understand that the waste material was to be sent to Gohagoda, where the garbage dump was situated.

However, the engineers felt there would be a cost increase in siting the solid waste disposal project at Gohagoda, but now the cost has increased a hundredfold as a result of protests delaying the project.

If the engineers had ignored the extra cost which was nominal in comparison with the present cost of the project, the project would have completed and Kandy would have had a solid waste disposal project at Gohagoda.