Reader’s View
COLOMBO : Despite the stipulated penalties ranging from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 50,000 for littering, the problem continues unabated. In many locations, garbage is still dumped right beneath the very signboards that warn offenders of these fines. This clearly shows that fines alone have not served as an effective deterrent.
To address this persistent issue more decisively, the existing signboard could be strengthened by including the following additional corrective actions:
- Offenders should be assigned mandatory road-sweeping duties for a minimum of one week.
- They may be required to assist residents in handing over their household garbage to the collection vehicle.
- Offenders could participate in community clean-up efforts such as beach or park cleaning.
- They may also be engaged to help identify and report littering incidents, with compensation provided only upon verified reporting.
- Short-term custodial sentences, though effective, may be impractical due to limited prison space.
As a more workable alternative, offenders could be placed for a short period with municipal or janitorial services to perform community cleaning tasks on behalf of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), without remuneration.
Another strong deterrent that could be considered is public disclosure: publishing the photographs of offenders in print and electronic media, with all associated costs borne by the individual.
I request the Mayoress of CMC Ms. Vraie Cally Balthazaar to introduce the necessary legal provisions—while ensuring compliance with human-rights standards—to enforce these measures and finally put an end to the menace of roadside garbage dumping. She may create awareness about these punitive actions via print, electronic and social media.
Mohamed Zahran
Colombo
