Waste from household to industrial to agricultural are all dumped and burnt in one corner of the municipal playground and the fumes constantly reach a number of guest houses situated on the Badulla Road. Its situation obstructs the view of the Lake for most other guest houses. Coming upon Kovil Road, on the route to Kandapola cluttered development is obvious by the number of shanty dwellings that dot the hillside. On the Post Office Road, dogs scavenging early morning garbage and littered pavements force pedestrians to take to the road, braving school traffic and errant cyclists. Hoteliers fear problems with water supply as the season progresses.
Hoteliers say that guests complain of the lack of cleanliness in the city.
They find it difficult to go for walks as the roads are dusty, even the park is unkempt and the Lake is hardly picturesque. Silting and weed growth covers a good part of the Lake and its water appears dark and discoloured. Nuwara Eliya is an eye sore. The Municipal Council had a change of guard last year. But in the experience of most residents and travellers to Nuwara Eliya, the conditions have not improved.