• Say weak local waste systems worsen the problem

Despite roadside garbage dumping being a punishable offence, offenders face a maximum fine of only Rs 5,000, Director of the Police Environmental Protection Division, Senior Superintendent of Police Manoj Perera said.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (29), Perera lamented that that weak waste collection systems at the Local Authority level continue to contribute to the problem. He said that the illegal dumping of garbage is an offence and that the public must be educated on proper waste disposal methods. He said that people should first separate degradable and non-degradable waste and hand it over to the relevant Local Authorities.“Local Authorities should collect the garbage and transport it safely. They must also supervise the process. Only after these systems are in place can the law be properly enforced,” Perera said. He said that one of the main challenges faced at present is the failure of some Local Authorities to carry out their responsibilities due to shortages of manpower and infrastructure. He said that when people dump garbage on roadsides illegally, without considering the health and well-being of others, it becomes an offence under the law. Perera said that under the National Thoroughfares Act, No. 40 of 2008, Section 59, offenders could be produced before a court of law, with the maximum fine being Rs 5,000. He added that another legal provision available to the Police is under Section 3 of the Police Ordinance, which provides powers to arrest persons who dump garbage on roadsides. However, he said that the fine imposed depended on the decision of the Magistrate, adding that first-time offenders could generally face fines ranging from around Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000, while the law allows a maximum fine of Rs 5,000.

According to Perera, the Division had conducted awareness programmes through the social media and mainstream media to educate the public on the importance of proper waste disposal.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) Kapila Mahesh Rajapaksha said that the Environmental Police functioned under the Police Department and not under the CEA. He said that the Environmental Police operated mainly under the powers provided through the Police Ordinance and the Public Nuisances Ordinance. However, he said that under the National Environmental Act, the Environment Police could collaborate with the CEA officers in relation to offences such as water pollution, air pollution, noise pollution and vibration-related issues. “Therefore, at present, we have a joint working arrangement with the Environmental Police,” Rajapaksha clarified.