The Municipal Council has commenced taking steps to remove garbage accumulated along roadsides across the Kaduwela Municipal Council area following complaints from residents over prolonged delays in waste collection, according to Mayor Ranjan Jayalal.

The Mayor was responding to allegations that garbage collection vehicles had failed to service some areas for nearly three weeks, leaving large quantities of waste piled up in public spaces.

The issue has sparked growing concern as the country continues to battle a surge in dengue cases, with health authorities repeatedly urging the general public to destroy mosquito breeding grounds by maintaining clean surroundings and preventing stagnant water accumulation.

Meanwhile, public health concerns have intensified in the Colombo District, one of the country's dengue hotspots, according to authorities, where disruptions to waste management have increased the risk of mosquito breeding, particularly amid ongoing rainy weather.

While residents are able to maintain cleanliness within their own properties, the collection and disposal of large volumes of solid waste remain the responsibility of local authorities.

The accumulation of roadside garbage, coupled with rainfall that creates stagnant water around waste piles, has heightened fears of a further increase in dengue transmission unless waste management services are restored promptly, authorities have stated.