Export gold award for Jiffy which destroys Deduru Oya
Sep 10, 2015i
Jiffy Products Sri Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd., which is responsible for the destruction of the environment in the Deduru Oya area in Kobeigane and Gal Oya area in Pannala, is to be awarded a gold export award at the National Chamber of Exporters’ export awards, reports say.
All arrangements are in place to hold this awards ceremony at Colombo Hilton Hotel on 18 September 2015 under the patronage of Sri Lankan president, environment minister, Maithripala Sirisena. Jiffy has won this award consecutively since 2012.
The NCE website mentions the environmental yardsticks for selection for this award in the following manner
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Planet ( Environmental Protection, Efficient Energy management, Cleaner Production and Waste Management, Carbon and Water Footprint calculations, Design of Recycling and Resource Recovery systems)
However, Jiffy blatantly violates all these yardsticks and guidelines. When Lanka News Web inquired from NCE’s CEO Shiham Marikkar, he said, “When we grant this award, we do not take media reports against the companies into consideration. Only the certificates given by state environmental agencies are considered.” He asked us to make a written request if any more information is needed.
Making further inquiries, we found that Jiffy has bought all responsible officials of the Central Environmental Authority and the Wayamba Environmental Authority. Jiffy tops the list of companies violating environmental laws, prepared by the CEA to be sent to the president. However, by the time the list reaches the president, the name of Jiffy goes missing. Only the secretary Narampanawa and Jiffy managing director Sandeeptha Gamalath know the reason. Sandeeptha Gamalath is the cousin brother of Suhada Gamalath, solicitor general at the attorney general’s department. The Jiffy MD is completely disregarding Lankan court orders on the strength of the powers of his cousin brother.
The current President Maithripala Sirisena possessed the environment ministry under his purview for his strong desire not to pollute the environment. The corrupt Jiffy Company gained its award in 2012 from the previous corrupt Rajapaksa regime under the influence of theformer economic development minister Basil Rajapaksa. It is a known fact that the said company paid millions of inducements to Basil for the influence.
However this time the company is supposed to receive the award in 2015 under the current Good Governance from the hands of the president who consider the environment is a part of his body. We closely watching how can the president present awards to this tainted company.
