Govt. contemplates action against 4,000 factories without environmental clearance

By Ifham Nizam

More than 4,000 industries coming within the Kaduwela and Peliyagoda local government areas were functioning without the stipulated or recommended environmental standards and the endorsement of the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said yesterday.

Studies reveal that dumping of industrial and domestic waste into Kelani river has vastly reduced the fish population in the river.

Minister Amaraweera has instructed the CEA to take action against those factories, the minister said.

Amaraweera also said that he would discuss with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and take action to appoint an environmental task force with the assistance of 16 Ministry Secretaries.

It has been revealed at there are 7,000 factories located on the banks of the Kelani River from Kaduwela to Peliyagoda and only 3,000 factories have obtained environmental approvals.

Researchers and scientists have recently called for an immediate study on the wastewater released by these factories and stressed the Central Environmental Authority should support those endeavours.

It was also revealed that many households located on the banks of the Kelani River with no sanitation facilities dispose their human waste into the river further contaminating the water.

The Minister of Environment said that an immediate study would be conducted on the factories that fail to obtain the necessary environment reports.