November 11, Colombo (LNW): The Court of Appeal has directed the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and the Jaffna Municipal Council to prepare a detailed programme aimed at tackling rising air pollution levels in Jaffna, with the case scheduled to be heard again on January 22, 2026.
The directive came during a hearing of a petition filed by Dr Uma Sukhi Nadarajah, which was taken up today (11) before a Bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando.
Representing the petitioner, Attorney-at-Law Dr Ravindranath Dabare reminded the court that a Gazette issued in 2017 by then-President Maithripala Sirisena prohibited the open burning of garbage and waste across the country. He argued that this directive had not been properly enforced and urged authorities to implement a comprehensive plan to address air quality deterioration in line with the provisions of that Gazette.
In response, the Bench instructed the CEA and the Jaffna Municipal Council to take the 2017 regulation into account when drafting their proposed mitigation strategy.
The petition—highlighting growing environmental and public health concerns in Jaffna—will be revisited early next year, as the court continues to monitor the steps taken by the relevant authorities to reduce pollution and improve air quality in the region.
