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 Date: 2023-04-06   Answered 

1318/2023: RELEASE OF WASTEWATER INTO KELANI RIVER: PREVENTION

1318/2023

Hon. Mohomad Muzammil,— To ask the Minister of Environment,—

(a) Will he inform this House—

(i) the number of factories established around the Kelani river;

(ii) whether he is aware that the waste water discharged from those factories are released to that river;

(iii) whether a test has been conducted in relation to the damages caused to the river water of the Kelani river by such waste water; and

(iv) the measures that have been adopted to prevent the release of waste water to the Kelani river?

(b) If not, why?

 

Asked Date

2023-04-06

Asked by

Hon. Mohomad Muzammil, M.P.

Ministry

Environment

Legislature

Ninth Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka

Session

Fourth Session

Question History

Answer

 (a)         (i)      The Central Environmental Authority has reported that 734 factories in the Colombo District and 466 factories in the Gampaha District are located within 500 metres of the buffer zone of the Kelani River, as per the survey conducted in the year 2020 regarding factories established close to the Kelani River.

(ii) The Central Environmental Authority has reported that the dirty water discharged from factories existing close to the Kelani River is released after purifying up to the extent specified by the standards on release of water into internal water-bodies in accordance with Gazette Notification No. 2264/17 dated 27.01.2022.

 

(iii) The Central Environmental Authority has reported that water quality tests have been conducted regularly since 2003 up until now with regard to the quality of water of the Kelani River.

 

 

  • · The Central Environmental Authority has reported that water samples are collected from 17 locations, which include 11 places on the mainstream between the point where the Kelani River originates and the place where it enters the sea and six places in its tributaries, once in every two months and subjected to analysis along physical, chemical and microbiological parameters. This task used to be carried out once a month from 2003 to 2021 and it was limited to once in two months due to the increase of prices of fuel as well chemical substances necessary for analytical activities, which occurred in the year 2022.

 

  • · The Central Environmental Authority has reported that the samples obtained enable a clear exposition regarding the impact caused to the water of the river by the wastewater discharged from factories and released into it and that according to the findings of the analyses conducted so far, releasing of purified industrial wastewater into the Kelani River has caused no impact on the quality of the water of the Kelani River.

 

  • · The Central Environmental Authority has reported that analytical data has revealed that some impact is caused to the quality of the water of the river at certain places due to factors such as pollution caused by domestic wastewater/faecal waste and disposal of waste that occurs on either side of the River.

 

  • · It has also been reported that in addition to the systematic analysing of water in the river, the Central Environmental Authority works towards periodically analysing wastewater discharged from factories located on either side of the Kelani River through its laboratory and where an instance of non-compliance to conditions of the environmental protection licence is disclosed, the Authority ensures that the conditions consistent with the relevant standards are maintained by directing the industrialists to take necessary steps to keep the conditions consistent with the relevant standards and in instances where such non-compliance persists, the Authority makes arrangements to put a stop to the release of wastewater into the Kelani River as well as to take necessary legal measures.

 

  • · As reported by the Central Environmental Authority, the activities carried out for the surveillance of factories located on either side of the Kelani River and analysing water of the Kelani River have been in operation under a programme initiated by the Central Environmental Authority and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board in the year 2023. It has been reported that the follow-up scrutiny activities on the 91 selected factories have been completed by now and that the technical instructions necessary for industrialists have to be issued.

 

(iv) The Central Environmental Authority has reported that pollution of water is controlled by ensuring that wastewater discharged from factories are purified before release in accordance with the specified standards through the environmental protection licence system and measures are taken to prevent the quality of water of the Kelani River from reaching a hazardous level.

 

In addition, as reported by the Central Environmental Authority, the wastewater released into the Kelani River is regulated by constant surveillance of factories close to the Kelani River and by obtaining analytical reports on wastewater released into the Kelani River after purification.

 

 (b) Does not arise.

 

Answered Date

2023-06-20

Answered by

Hon. Naseer Ahamed, M.P.





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