The Central Environment Authority (CEA) has called for a full report into the extent of environmental damage caused by the release of 10,000 litres of spoilt milk into the Dikoya stream which flows to the Castlereigh reservoir.
According to the Director of the Central Environment Authority (Central Province), K.P. Welikannage, CEA officers have been deployed to gather information and submit a report in this regard. “The report will be compiled within a day,” he said adding that further action will be taken based on this report.
According to Welikannage, the incident was reported to the CEA Friday night. “We deployed a team to look into the incident thereafter,” he said.
About 10,000 litres of spoilt milk is said to have been released on Friday into the Dikoya stream which is the main water source from Hatton leading up to the Castlereigh reservoir. According to the villagers, the milk was released by a private milk collection centre after it was rejected by a milk powder manufacturing facility for not being of satisfactory quality. However, the manager of the centre has claimed the milk was released by mistake due to a malfunction which had occurred during pumping. He was later arrested by the Hatton Police.
According to residents of the area, the water in the stream has now turned white, while a foul stench is said to be present throughout the neighbourhood. Sources say due to prevailing dry weather and low water levels, the polluted water is now said to be gradually flowing into the Castlereigh reservoir. Environmentalists believe serious damage has been done to the water source as a result.