Legal action has been taken against several companies for improper discarding of fuel oil from ships to the environment, says the Central Environment Authority (CEA).

Director-General of CEA, Hemantha Jayasinghe said the relevant companies were fined and that cases were filed against them.

Twenty-three institutions are permitted to transport fuel oil and two of them are engaged in fuel oil storage activities as well.

Minister of Environment had given directives to implement an action plan to regulate the discarding of fuel oil after environmentalists pointed out that fuel oil dumped by ships cause environmental damage as well as various diseases to the people.

Accordingly, the CEA took measures to regulate fuel oil dumping using GPS technology and identified the companies that had discarded fuel oil improperly, Mr Jayasinghe said further.