A growing rat infestation across Colombo is fuelling public health fears and disrupting daily life in Sri Lanka's commercial capital, with residents and business owners now demanding urgent municipal intervention.
The problem has intensified in recent weeks, affecting major hotels, restaurants and retail outlets throughout the city, as uncollected garbage continues to attract rodents to public spaces.
Health officials have linked the surge in the rat population directly to piles of uncollected waste scattered across Colombo, warning that rats feeding on this rubbish have created serious safety hazards for commuters and visitors alike.
Beyond the immediate risk of disease transmission, the expanding rodent presence has also begun to cause structural damage to buildings and surrounding infrastructure, compounding losses for affected businesses.
Commercial establishments have borne the brunt of the infestation, with several major hotels and eateries reporting rodent activity severely affecting operations and customer confidence.
Residents have voiced growing frustration over the Municipal Council's apparent inability to contain the problem, arguing that delays in waste collection have allowed the infestation to spread unchecked across the city.
Authorities and members of the public have been urged to act jointly to bring the situation under control, with proper waste disposal, stricter food hygiene practices and the regular clearance of city drainage systems identified as key measures needed to curb the rodent population.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the Colombo Municipal Council Commissioner proved unsuccessful, as the relevant telephone number was found to be out of service.
Leave your comments
Login to post a comment
Post comment as a guest