Meethotamulla 130 Family's vulnerable for temporarily leaves

- Apr 21, 2017

Meanwhile the Met Department had warned that heavy showers are expected next week. Hence the Assistant social services secretary of the Divisional Secretariat Tilak Ranasinghe said as it posed a danger of further landslides with the onset of rains, they had notified 130 residents most vulnerable to temporarily leave the area to safer shelters.

The Divisional Secretariat had also provided them Rs. 10,000 as transport charges for the evacuation of their belongings. He said the other residents too will be moved from this location. A resident in the danger zone Roy de Silva told  that although they had been notified to evacuate with their belongings, it was not an easy task and it had taken them about six hours.

Upon inquiry some residents told us that about a month ago a certain chemical had been sprayed on the garbage mountain in order to assist in its speedy decomposition. Hence there is doubt if setting fire to the garbage and spraying of this chemical could have caused the garbage pile to collapse. Investigations in this regard are continuing. yesterday security forces had reinforced three safety boundaries and were carrying out further search operations. This however, was a clear indication to us that the search operation to recover the dead bodies was no easy task.

Meanwhile, a Japanese  team too had visited the area on an inspection tour. But the residents claim that these too are happening according to certain individual’s desires. Although the government had offered these residents temporary residence at government flats, some were willing to move but there were others who were reluctant. However the government said until a permanent solution is reached these residents should move to these flats for their safety as this area was unsafe.

Terrence College which had sustained damages will be repaired by the Police and handed back to the school authorities on April 24. The IG and Divisional Secretary had given the Principle this pledge.

In spite of the government efforts, the residents are still agitated even in the process of collecting data and distribution of relief. Due to the illegal constructions however, even the government officials engaged in collection of data were finding it hard to conduct their operations.

Test n Pic AshWaru Colombo