The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) last week conducted a raid in Kandy, Peradeniya and several areas in the Central Province to crack down on those making lunch sheets of less than 20 microns.
The raid was conducted by CEA area officials with the assistance of Consumer Protection Authority and Police officials in the Central Province. Over 400 persons selling low quality lunch sheets were questioned. Officials also found persons who are involved in manufacturing small polythene packets and cotton buds that have plastic handles.
CEA Chairman Supun Pathirage said such raids will also be carried out even in other areas in future with the assistance of the Police.
He said although the ban of manufacturing low quality polythene sheets and bags and also other non-degradable items were announced earlier with the Gazette notifications and it is pity that many manufacturers and shop owners ignored that ban. It is said that almost all super centres countrywide have not violated this ban and sell only environment- friendly polythene bags and lunch sheets.
The CEA has launched several other programmes including a dengue eradication programme to destroy dengue mosquito breeding grounds with the assistance of Government institutions and private sector mercantile establishments located in all parts of the country and so far it has shown fruitful results.
The CEA Chairman further said this dengue mosquito eradication programme was successful and all participants were in the habit of cleaning mosquito breeding grounds frequently, collect garbage, empty bottles, cans, tins, discarded iron and rubber pieces, unused plastic and polythene papers which are in their respective areas.
