Executive director of Environment Conversation Trust Sajeewa Chamikara says several charges could be filed against Coca Cola over this contamination.

They are – contaminating the river, polluting drinking water, causing damage to state property by polluting the Ambatale purification plant, costs having to be borne to restore the plant and the water supply and making more than 600,000 consumers to consume contaminated water for more than six days.

Chamikara says Coca Cola has violated the national environment act, Water Board act, penal code, state property act and the criminal procedure code when it diverted factory waste to the Kelani.

No reports to courts

However, the Water Board is yet to take legal advice with regard to court proceedings in this connection, he said.

Even the police, public health officials and the general public can report such an incident to courts.

Acting on a complaint by the public on August 17, Biyagama police investigated and found Coca Cola was diverting waste water to the river, but had not reported the matter to courts.

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