By Mihi Perera
Environmental evidence suggests that the X-Press Pearl vessel may have leaked toxic chemicals when it entered Sri Lankan maritime boundaries, stated Ravindranath Dabare, Attorney-at-Law, President of the Center for Environmental Justice (CFEJ).
He stated that the owner of the chemical container and its captain and other relevant officials have deliberately ignored or failed to notify the relevant authorities of Sri Lanka in this regard. Dabare also stated that the X-Press Pearl has been found to have leaked large quantities of toxins into the water and that the relevant authorities should be sued for large sums of money for the possible environmental catastrophe. He further stated that the damage caused to the marine environment and the southwestern coast is very deplorable and the government is unable to deal with this environmental disaster. "Such an environmental catastrophe would cause significant damage to the planet by releasing hazardous substances into the ecosystem. This poses a serious threat to the lives and livelihoods of people living in coastal areas," UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka Hannah Singer-Hamdy said in a statement on Saturday. She added that the United Nations is coordinating international efforts to assist Sri Lanka in assessing damage and recovery efforts and preventing such disasters in the future.