Inadequate facilities to inspect imported garbage shipment : Government Analyst

COLOMBO(News 1st) - The Court of Appeal ordered the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice to hold an investigation on the notice issued to the Government Analyst over the garbage containers that were imported into the country. The order was issued when the case filed against the import of garbage containers into the country was taken up at the Court of Appeal today. The Court had previously ordered the government analyst to obtain samples from the garbage containers and submit a report on the impact it has on the human body and the environment. The Government analyst has informed the court that they do not have the required facilities to examine the samples. Thereby the Chairman of the Court of Appeal Yasantha Kodagoda and Justice Arjuna Obeyasekera ordered the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General to guide the secretary to the Ministry of Justice to instruct the Government Analyst for an inquiry. The bench at the Appeal Court hearing the case expressed their displeasure over the fact that the Government Analyst had failed to report on the progress of the examination of samples although it has been a long time since the bench was ordered to present a report on the matter. Court ordered the Secretary to the Ministry of Justice to present his report on the 13th of next month. Senior Solicitor General Milinda Gunathilake representing the Attorney General informed the court that discussions are underway between Central Environmental Authority and the respondents of the case to send the garbage containers back to its country of origin. Court also pointed out that the orders issued by the court do not in any way obstruct the attempts made to re-export the garbage containers to its country of origin. The Centre for environmental justice had filed an action in court seeking an order to send the garbage containers stacked at the Colombo Port and the Katunayake Free trade zone, as these containers contain human remains and other items that may adversely impact the environment and human health.