Councillor Shermila Gonawela files a petition against Garbage disposal scheme at CMC

Colombo (News 1st): Colombo Municipal Councillor Shermila Gonawela filed a petition at the Supreme Court today (May 30) alleging that her rights were violated through irregularities in the garbage disposal scheme at the Colombo Municipal Council. The petition alleges that the price paid to a private company for the removal of garbage by the Colombo Municipal Council has increased significantly. The petitioner pointed out that the price paid for the disposal of garbage by the Colombo Municipal Council to this private company which stood at between Rupees 7 to 10 million, had been increased to between Rs 15 and 20 million in the agreement signed for the same in 2015. The recent renewal of the agreement had put the sum payable for the disposal of garbage at between Rupees 35 and 44 million to this private company. The petitioner alleges that there is a massive irregularity in this deal at that this is a theft of the taxpayers' money. Speaking to the media Shermila Gonawela said this is a council that is maintained by the money of the taxpayers and during the previous council sessions she had highlighted these irregularities. She went onto note that they themselves have created the background for private companies to dictate terms, due to the weaknesses of our own management, this has to be changed, however, it was not and even when all of these irregularities were revealed at the council sessions the awarding of this tender was approved. Gonawela notes that as public representatives, as people who are paid by public funds, they are liable for every single rupee of the taxpayers. She noted that standing with the people on this she filed a case against the Colombo Municipal Council and the heads of these departments at the council.