‘Cremation’ of vital CMC documents under probe

By Lal Gunasekera and Dilanthi Jayamanne-August 18, 2013

Councillors of the ruling UNP and Opposition joined hands in attempts to save over 1,000 confidential documents of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) from being reduced to ash at the Buddhist section of the General Cemetery, Kanatte on Saturday (17) evening. The files were set ablaze by a senior SLAS official and a senior Vice Squad officer.

Roy Bogahawatte, MMC representing the Democratic Unity Alliance (DUA). told The Island yesterday (18) that together with Dharshan Silva (UNP) and Eric Chandrasena (UPFA), he had visited Kanatte on Saturday around 5.30 p.m. on information received that documents belonging to the CMC were being burnt. He said that they had managed to save about 50 files and handed over half of the burnt documents to Colombo Mayor A. J. M. Muzammil. They requested the Mayor to hold an immediate inquiry and take action against the two offenders.

Bogahawatte said that both Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam (Director of CMC’s Public Health Department) and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mahinda Balasuriya in charge of cemeteries in Colombo were unaware of the illegal act.

He said that the files containing official CMC documents, some pertaining to illegal and unqualified security personnel in the CMC, had been taken to the cemetery for burning in two cars (KA 9959, DC 2347) and a van (253 – 7986) belonging to the Secretary’s Department. He said the correspondence of the illegal and unqualified personnel, also included drivers recruited in 2011 and 2012.

Bogahawatte said that an inquiry was being held into the incident by the Chief Internal Auditor L. H. Hettiarachchi and Chief Security Officer D. B. S. Sirinaka instructed by Mayor Muzammil to hand over the report today (19) for necessary action to be taken.The Island learns that the CMC at their monthly meeting in June passed a motion to remove two illegally recruited security guards.

Colombo Mayor Muzammil said that only corpses could be cremated at Kanatte and it could not be utilized to burn documents. He said that the burning of official CMC documents was an illegal act and once the inquiry was completed and perpetrators identified, he would take the necessary steps and even complain to the Police and inform the Minister of Local Government A. L. M. Athaullah, too.