• CMC notes need for large investment, land extent, spl. machinery 

The relevant authorities including the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) have planned a programme to improve the water quality of the Beira Lake to a level similar to that of a normal tank, with the time required for the project to be determined by the scale of investment and the extent of land needed.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, CMC’s Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Engineering Services) R.D.S. Rohana said that the aim is to restore the lake to a condition where its water, though not drinkable, could at least be used for purposes such as bathing and washing clothes.

“A large investment and a certain extent of land would be needed to carry out improvements, along with specialised machinery. In addition, there have been various proposals from interested investors to improve the Beira Lake. We are considering such proposals too. The Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation is also involved in these efforts,” he added.

On an earlier occasion, Rohana said that a joint programme has already been launched to clean the Beira Lake and that there has been considerable improvement so far. According to him, a special task force has been appointed to oversee the programme, with the CMC and several other stakeholders working together.

The need for urgent action was highlighted after reports that the strong stench from the lake had become a serious problem for hotels, businesses, and residents in the area, with some establishments even forced to close. The Western Province Solid Waste Management Authority confirmed that it had received numerous complaints and said that a comprehensive cleanup plan is now underway, with short-term, medium-term, and long-term measures in place.

The Beira Lake, a man-made body of water in central Colombo, which once covered about 1.65 square kilometres a century ago, has since shrunk to around 0.65 square kilometres. Surrounded by major businesses, it remains a prominent feature of the city.