Waste containing radioactive particles released from the
National Cancer Institute, Maharagama (Cancer Hospital) was responsible for
cancers among the villagers living in its vicinity, the Western Provincial
Council's Environment Ministry revealed yesterday.
Provincial Environment Minister
Udaya Gammanpila said that of about 96 deaths that had occurred in in
Godigamuwa area of Maharagama, where the hospital waste dump was situated
during the last five years, 47 were due to cancer, according to a survey
conducted by the Sri Jayawardenapura University.
The Minister said his ministry
had decided to commission a survey following a large number of complaints from
the people living in the vicinity of the cancer hospital that hospital waste
was not properly managed.
"The director of the
hospital claimed that the number of cancer patients in the area had increased
as most of them were living around the hospital to receive treatment"
Gammanpila said adding they decided to conduct a survey to find out the real
cause.
Department of Forestry and
Environment of the Sri Jayawardenapura University's Applied Sciences Faculty
conducted the survey among 500 householders in the area covering the adjacent
Grama Niladari divisions, namely Godigamuwa North, Godigamuwa South (A),
Godigamuwa South (B) and Wattegedara of the Maharagama Divisional Secretariat
divisions. Among the 500 households 92% were permanent residents of the area.
According to Gammanpila, 96
persons had died in the area during the last five years and of them 47% died of
cancer.
The WPC minister said that 70%
of them had been residents of the area for over 20 years.
"Out of 33 cancer deaths
21 were recorded from the GN division Godigamuwa South (B), which is directly affected
by the cancer hospital waste," he said.
Gammanpila said that according
to the findings of the study, the cancer hospital should dispose of waste
matter without endangering people's lives.
Another study conducted by the
National Atomic Energy Authority had also found some radioactive elements in
two wells and a paddy field in the area, the minister said.
He said that his ministry had
reported the matter to Health Minister Maithreepala Sirisena, who promised to
take immediate action.
Dasun Edirisinghe
The Island
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