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Dengue and garbage: Public Security Act to be enforced
View(s):As a measure to prevent improper waste disposal and to combat the deadly dengue epidemic in Colombo and suburbs, the Cabinet has approved a proposal to invoke Public Security Act provisions to check unattended houses and properties and take legal action against owners. The measure was among a series of other proposals approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday and will be put into action shortly.
The Sunday Times last week exclusively reported that a Cabinet paper had been submitted with the proposals. Under the proposals approved, a special bicycle squad will be the latest addition to the Colombo metropolis as it struggles to tackle a waste disposal crisis and a dengue epidemic.
Waste Management Unit Director Akila Illangasinghe said the 40-member bicycle squad would include members of the three armed forces and Police. They would be dispatched at short notice when complaints were made regarding waste disposal and dengue related issues. The squad would begin work tomorrow.
Thirty smart phones have been bought for the use of the squad members who will be tasked with monitoring areas where the issues are acute and taking photos as evidence. They would take photographs as evidence.
The Cabinet proposals were jointly submitted by Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faiszer Musthapha and Law and Order and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayaka. The proposals also include the installation of CCTV cameras in public places where waste is disposed irregularly. It would be compulsory to display name boards with details of the owners and contractors in all construction sites.
The other measures include filing private cases against persons responsible for having breeding sites in schools, public institutions and other places.
Mr. Illangasinghe said steps would be taken to collect garbage in the night when the residents would be at home. He said the Colombo municipality’s private contractors entrusted with garbage collection would also be penalised if they did not carry out their work properly.