Politics

The Court of Appeal has directed the Jaffna Municipal Council to provide a report on the actions taken to control air pollution in the Jaffna region. This instruction came during a hearing of a writ petition filed by Dr. Uma Sugi Nadarajah, a Jaffna resident, who asked the court to take steps against air pollution in the area, as reported by Ada Derana's court correspondent. The case was heard by a panel of judges from the Court of Appeal, including President Justice Rohana Abeysooriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando. During the session, Attorney-at-Law Ravindranath Dabare, representing the petitioner, informed the court that the burning of garbage is a major cause of severe air pollution in Jaffna. He also noted that winds carrying waste materials from South India have worsened the pollution issue. The attorney submitted reports to the court that outlined the nature of air pollution in Jaffna and indicated that it has led to increased health problems. After reviewing the evidence, the judges ordered both the Jaffna Municipal Council and the Central Environmental Authority to submit a report detailing the measures taken to address air pollution in Jaffna. The President of the Court of Appeal questioned why the Jaffna Municipal Council had not collaborated with the Central Environmental Authority to tackle this issue. He emphasized that cooperation and discussion among government bodies could resolve such problems without the need for court action.