Proper national strategy to provide solutions for garbage disposal problem: President

President Maithripala Sirisena said that within the next three years the Government will provide solutions to the garbage disposal problem through a proper national strategy, which is a major environmental issue in the country, President Media Unit said. He made these observations at a special meeting regarding national environmental conservation program yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat. The President pointed out that the garbage disposal system is a major hazard to the health of the people. He said it cannot be postponed a solution for this through an efficient and proper program. However the government tries to solve this problem we can’t stop the people criticizing. Every officer should be dedicated to fulfill the government’s responsibility, by educating people on this regard. The program should be implemented in collaboration with all the State and Private institutions. The President instructed the officials to strengthen existing programs implemented by the Central Environmental Authority and to make plans with practical knowledge and new strategies. The most affected by the garbage disposal problem are the people living in the city of Colombo and the suburbs of Colombo. The priority should be given to solve problems of these people, the President said. The special attention was drawn to coastal protection and forest density during the meeting. The President has identified environment conservation program as a prominent one. Steps are being taken by the government, under the President’s instructions to make an action plan for an environment conservation program which can practically be carried out, by identifying current environmental issues. Deforestation, environmental damage, Environmental degradation, Natural Resource Damage, soil erosion has been identified as the major environmental issues at present. Solutions will be found to these problems through this proposed new plan. Today, Sri Lanka’s forest coverage is 29%, the proposed project is expected to increase the forest coverage to 35% within the first few years. About 7,500 tons of waste is produced in Sri Lanka for a day, of which nearly 1,000 tons of garbage is processed for waste management. The remaining 6,500 tons of garbage is expected to manage systematically using the new technology.