Weliweriya Factory Workers Ordered To Report For Duty On 22 August; Residents Face Daily Struggle For Water
August 15, 2013
The Venigross glove making factory owned by the
Hayleys Group that was at the centre of the Weliweriya water contamination controversy, has notified plant workers to report to work on August 22, Colombo Telegraph learns.
Army personnel have also been stationed outside the hostels provided for female workers at the plant, residents in the area claim.
The Defence Ministry ordered a two week shut down of the plant, after weeks of demonstrations by residents who are accusing Venigross of having contaminated the ground water in the area with its chemical waste. President Mahinda Rajapaksa who met with residents and company officials on Monday agreed to permit the plant to reopen in order to meet its export orders. In the long-term, the President has pledged to relocate the factory to a BOI zone.
