Urgent public health hazard: Recurrent drainage failure, flooding, and sewer/drain leakage

Wednesday, 7 January 2026 02:16 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

We wish to bring to your urgent attention the persistent and recurring drainage and sewerage issues affecting 140 Garden, located in front of Sri Narayana Guru Hall aka ‘Kochchi palli’, which continue to cause severe inconvenience and pose serious public health risks to residents.

During periods of heavy rainfall, the entire front portion of the garden becomes flooded due to repeated drainage blockages. As a result, residents are compelled to wade through contaminated sewer water. On several occasions, human excreta have surfaced due to blockages, creating extremely unhygienic and distressing conditions.

The interlocking concrete blocks installed in front of the garden have sunk significantly. This subsidence has caused the underlying sewerage pipeline to burst, contributing directly to the ongoing blockages and overflows.

We kindly request that the sunken interlocking concrete blocks be re-installed and that the damaged sewerage pipeline beneath be properly repaired or replaced to permanently address this issue.

The existing concrete gully cover is damaged and poses a clear risk to pedestrians, who may easily trip and fall while passing through this area. We strongly recommend replacing the current concrete slab with a durable metal gully cover, which would allow easier opening and closing during routine cleaning and emergency clearance operations.

There is also a serious leakage in the waste water drain at the rear of the garden, which is adversely affecting both residents and the adjoining premises, including the state-owned People’s Bank, where water seepage has been observed. Given that the existing pipeline is over 40-50 years old, we strongly recommend that a new waste water pipeline be laid to prevent further deterioration and damage.

In view of the above, we sincerely hope that Your Worship will ensure that:

The damaged sewerage pipeline and waste water drain are repaired or replaced without delay
The interlocking concrete blocks are re-laid properly
The unsafe concrete gully cover is replaced with a metal cover
Long-term remedial measures are implemented to prevent recurrence

We also wish to place on record that this issue had been formally reported previously during the tenure of the former Commissioner J.M. Bhadranie Jayawardhana, immediate predecessor to the incumbent Commissioner Palitha Nanayakkara but unfortunately remains unresolved.

We trust that this long-standing matter will now receive urgent attention in the interest of public health, safety, and dignity. On behalf of the residents of 140 Garden, we take this opportunity to wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year 2026.

Mohamed Zahran, Colombo