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Investing in development: $ 15 m to convert Bloemendhal dump into an asset

12 Feb 2022

  • UDA to enter into a PPP to develop dump site
  • Project completion planned within 18 months
By Uwin Lugoda The Government aims to turn one of Colombo’s biggest garbage dumps into an asset that will financially benefit the country, through an investment of $ 15 million, The Sunday Morning learns. According to the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, a plan has been formulated to develop the current Bloemendhal garbage dump land into a rewarding asset. Taking into account the prime location of the dump, which is in the vicinity of the Port, the Ministry plans to develop the land into extensive storage facilities with an estimated investment of $ 15 million. Ministry of Urban Development and Housing Media Spokesperson Prasad Manju stated that the project had been prepared following instructions given by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as the Minister of Urban Development and Housing. "The Prime Minister instructed the Urban Development Authority (UDA) to use the land for a project that will benefit the country's economy. After coming up with this plan the people who reside in the Bloemendhal area expressed their gratitude for utilising this dump which has not been used in many years,” Manju claimed. He stated that the Bloemendhal garbage dump had continuously caused environmental problems in the surrounding area. He explained that the first plan to remove the garbage was presented by the former Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Secretary now President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. However, that plan did not materialise in the years that followed. Over the years, the Bloemendhal garbage dump has caught fire on several occasions and once collapsed, damaging some homes. The collapse in 2017 came at a cost of over a dozen deaths, including those of children, when their homes were crushed due to a garbage landslide following an explosion, suspected to have occurred due to the buildup of gas from degrading waste. “The UDA is re-launching its pre-2015 measures to develop Colombo into a beautiful city in an eco-friendly manner. This is why the Prime Minister has asked the UDA to prepare the land for this investment project and the UDA has followed through.” Manju stated that the project is planned under the Government's program to utilise government-owned, unused lands for long-term and short-term leases on investment projects for economic gain. According to this action plan, the Government invests only in state properties, based on state policy. The Director of Property Development at the UDA Anura Prasanna stated that the Government will receive revenue from both investment and rent through this program. He explained that this is due to the projects being carried out under a private-public partnership (PPP). The main condition of the PPP for the Bloemendhal project is that the selected investor will enter on a long-term lease basis, with their investment also having to recycle the existing landfill at another suitable location, subject to the regulations of the UDA. Manju stated that the Bloemendhal garbage dump is currently not used for the dumping of more garbage. He explained that according to reports, 70% of the existing waste at the dump can be recycled; while non-recyclable parts such as concrete, mortar, and stone should be crushed and used for reconstruction. After finding an investor, the preliminary work on the project is set to commence within the next three months and be completed within a period of 18 months.


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