The Central Environmental Authority’s (CEA) investigations into the factories identified to be releasing pollutants to the Kelani River have come to a halt due to the Covid-19 prevention protocols that are currently in place.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning on Friday (30), Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera said: “The 13 units that were assigned to conduct the investigations are yet to complete their finalised report as there were 3,000 factories that were identified to be responsible for releasing pollutants to the Kelani River. They were continuing with the study, but due to the Covid-19 outbreak zonal lockdowns announced last week, we had to halt the investigations.”
[caption id="attachment_103357" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera[/caption]
Amaraweera noted that as soon as the health authorities announce that the travel restrictions are lifted, the CEA is to once again deploy the teams to continue the study and prepare the final report.
It was found that many of these factories had not obtained Environment Impact Assessments (EIAs) prior to building and had failed to comply with the regulations issued to them by the respective municipal council on wastewater management.
A total of 7,000 factories are located in the Kaduwela to Peliyagoda Bridge stretch of the Kelani River, out of which 3,000 factories will face legal action once the full report is handed over to the Ministry of Environment.
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Kelani River[/caption]
On 29 September, environmentalists alerted the Minister of Environment about the ongoing water pollution that was caused by factories located along the Kelani River starting from Kaduwela through Peliyagoda.
The Minister had then ordered a quick study and based on that, ordered a detailed investigation report for which the CEA assigned 13 teams to investigate the 3,000 factories that were identified as possible polluters.
Preliminary investigation findings had revealed that these factories were dumping untreated pollutant wastewater directly to the Kelani River.
The final report on the factories and the course of action that is to be taken against them will therefore be expected once the present spread of Covid-19 within the country is brought under control.
Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera[/caption]
Amaraweera noted that as soon as the health authorities announce that the travel restrictions are lifted, the CEA is to once again deploy the teams to continue the study and prepare the final report.
It was found that many of these factories had not obtained Environment Impact Assessments (EIAs) prior to building and had failed to comply with the regulations issued to them by the respective municipal council on wastewater management.
A total of 7,000 factories are located in the Kaduwela to Peliyagoda Bridge stretch of the Kelani River, out of which 3,000 factories will face legal action once the full report is handed over to the Ministry of Environment.
[caption id="attachment_99644" align="alignright" width="300"] Kelani River[/caption]
On 29 September, environmentalists alerted the Minister of Environment about the ongoing water pollution that was caused by factories located along the Kelani River starting from Kaduwela through Peliyagoda.
The Minister had then ordered a quick study and based on that, ordered a detailed investigation report for which the CEA assigned 13 teams to investigate the 3,000 factories that were identified as possible polluters.
Preliminary investigation findings had revealed that these factories were dumping untreated pollutant wastewater directly to the Kelani River.
The final report on the factories and the course of action that is to be taken against them will therefore be expected once the present spread of Covid-19 within the country is brought under control.