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Terror and horror continue for Torrington Avenue residents
View(s):For residents of Torrington Avenue in Colombo 7, the festive season was a month of nuisance, fear, and exhaustion in complaining to authorities who have failed to provide a solution for their years-long agony.
A Colombo Municipal Council’s neglected community hall and children’s playground bordering the prime residential area turns into a living hell for residents, especially at night. Crowds from the nearby neighbourhood of ‘hatte watte’ gather to consume alcohol, play loud music, dump and burn garbage. Residents complain that authorities turning a blind eye has resulted in the rundown community centre becoming a hell hole for drug addicts who choose the premises to burn wires and obtain copper at night. They sleep during the day.
The state of the community centre. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
The residents who complain are under constant threat. Their houses are pelted with stones, they are shouted at in filth, and are being threatened almost on a daily basis.
“They threaten to kill us and break our limbs. We are now living in constant fear though we have been residents in this prime residential area since the 1950s, way before low-income families were settled in hatte watte,” a resident said.
This week the residents again turned to the Cinnamon Gardens Police for help by lodging a complaint about the black smoke from the community hall premises. They say their houses are filled with smoke. Elderly people and children with respiratory ailments are finding it hard to breathe.
Previously the area’s Public Health Officer too had reported on the toxic air pollution from the burning and the breeding of deadly dengue mosquitoes due to garbage thrown into the abandoned community centre.
Added to the terror and horror from the community hall are loudspeaker noises and the ringing of bells from the kovil and Bo-tree-turned Buddhist shrine located near the community centre. 
The Sunday Times previously reported the nefarious activities taking place within the premises along with photographs. (see montage)
When contacted the Colombo Municipal Commissioner Badrani Jayawardena said she had in writing sent an order on Thursday to the Sports and Recreation Director, to immediately post security personnel at the community hall.
“Until we receive enough funds to improve the community centre, it will be closed, unless there is an event. Unlawful gathering and burning will not be allowed from January onwards,” she assured.
Cinnamon Gardens Police Inspector S. Dissanayake said they were acting on the complaint and two Police mobile teams had been deployed to oversee and prevent any noise pollution and burning within the premises.
“I will be visiting the area frequently. The crowds in hatte watte tend to be violent. Therefore we have to act cautiously to ensure Torrington Avenue residents are not harassed,” he said.
“The CMC should immediately make use of the community centre rather than neglecting it. Any neglected building in such areas can lead to illegal activities,” he added.
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