Eleven days have passed since a massive heap of garbage of the Meethotamulla garbage dump collapsed killing 32 people and destroying stretches of houses in its wake. Currently out of the 98 families listed to receive houses, 30 have been offered flats. The rest of the displaced have been requested to leave the premises of the Terrence Maha Vidyalaya, so that activities in the school can recommence unhindered. However, the displaced claim that no viable option has been offered to them.
On April 14, all within thirty seconds, a stretch of houses was lifted up due to the force exerted by the 
collapse. This stretch collapsed on another stretch of houses previously unaffected by the dump, destroying them. Over and over again inhabitants in the vicinity of the Meethotamulla garbage dump have voiced concern about an impending disaster. Though they did not foresee a tragedy with such a magnitude that would devour 32 lives, they knew things were not turning out well. Protesters were brutally dispersed. Some affected by last year’s floods are yet to be compensated.
Most people have opposed proposals to move to the paddy storage complex temporarily, as the school had to be emptied. Thusitha Sudathkumara, the Kolonnawa Divisional Secretary, told Daily Mirror yesterday that they planned to clear the school to reopen today. However school authoritative sources told yesterday that though the number of displaced people housed had lowered, there did not seem to be an environment conducive to reopen the school.
In an announcement issued by Sunil Kannangara, the Colombo District Secretary, it is stated that those whose houses are completely destroyed, damaged or those asked to evacuate, could obtain a house worth Rs 4,000,000 from the housing scheme of the Urban Development Authority. Those unwilling to accept these houses will be given Rs. 50,000 for three months or until compensation is provided.
In addition, those whose houses have been completely destroyed would be given an allowance of Rs. 250,000 to purchase furniture and other goods. Those who have been asked to evacuate in the danger zone would be given Rs. 10,000 to transport their goods and belongings. However the affected people temporarily residing at the Terrence N. De Silva School, raised practical concerns regarding the options available. For instance, residents point out that no landlord would rent out a house for a month or three, when the norm is to pay a key money worth the rent for the whole year.
The Convener of the Movement against the Meethotamulla garbage dump Keerthi Ratna Perera said that officials were planning on assessing the damage and providing compensation within a month. In the meantime residents have to find a house for rent on their own. “But you can’t get a house in this manner as you need to pay the rent for a year in advance. Then people thought that they should get the Rs. 250,000 provided to purchase goods, and the rent allowance to get a house,” he said.
“We don’t believe anything politicians say until we are given whatever they have promised,” he added.“Ninety eight families have been promised houses. Thirty accepted them, and the rest were not willing to.They will be given Rs. 50,000 (rent) and Rs. 250,000 (to purchase goods etc). Some cheques were handed over on Monday,” he said.
According to Nuwan Bopage, lawyer and organizer of the Movement against the Meethotamulla garbage dump, 135 families are displaced, and seven people thought to be buried in the rubble are missing.
The history of the unrelenting struggle
Until 2009 garbage was dumped at Bloemendhal. However a case was filed by the people of Bloemendhal against the dumping of garbage. “Then the Chief Justice at the time, ordered that the garbage be dumped temporarily in a 2-acre plot of land in pothuwilkumbura. In addition, if someone protested it was ordered that they can be arrested. At that time 800 tonnes of garbage was dumped daily. By the time tragedy struck 1200 tonnes was dumped daily,” said Bopage. Reminiscing his childhood, he said that the garbage dump had been a bare extent of land with lush trees where children used to fly kites.
A series of events compelled the residents to organize themselves as a movement and seek justice. In 2011 the area of the garbage dump extended to cover 19 acres. By then the garbage dump was 200 feet high. The Meethotamulla Sri Rahula Vidyalaya was closed in October 2011. At the same time walls and floors of 100 houses in the vicinity of the garbage dump cracked. “People wanted to seek judicial redress, but then agreed for a compensation,” said Bopage.
“Thereafter we organized ourselves as a movement and in 2012 we held our first protest. The government promised to give us a solution within three months. But there was no such solution after three months. In April we blocked garbage trucks entering for two days by constructing a temporary hut,” he recalled.
“In the meantime the police filed a case against me and a few others at the Colombo Magistrate Courts. While we were at courts a battalion dispersed the protesters brutally. Women were assaulted. Then we protested, petitioned, put up posters everywhere, but to no avail,” he added.
“In March 2014 after a protest we were invited to a discussion with Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who promised to solve the problem within six months, and we were contented. But the issue wasn’t solved within six months and we protested once again,” he sighed.
“In February 2015 the police sprayed water when we protested. Then we were invited to a discussion with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe who appointed a committee with the UDA chairman as the head,” he said. The committee had promised to intervene and find a solution within six months. They had advertised calling for project proposals. “There were around 60 projects and some were very viable. When these projects were not approved we realized that there was a mafia going on,” Bopage stressed.
According to Bopage there have been alleged discrepancies amounting to almost a whopping Rs. 200 million in the estimated value of a tender of solid waste management services, and the value at which it was given. “The Chairman, Deputy Chairman and the opposition member of the Kolonnawa Municipal Council have 14 trucks which are sent outstation to collect garbage from companies, to be dumped here. Then they get all the money,” he charged implying that the garbage dump has been a pot of gold for those in power. In December 2015 the movement protested once again, and Bopage said that protesters were beaten. “No one listened to us and now people have died,” he lamented.
Bopage pointed out that the environment created, surrounding the garbage dump, was not very pleasant and was conducive to alcoholism and drug abuse. He said that 101watte, 23watte and Nagahamulla were drug hubs and he alleged politicians were responsible for this sad plight.
