204 families to be resettled on 818 acres in Sampur

Government has been decided to release 818 acres in the Sampur Economic Zone to 204 families who will be resettled in the area soon, Trincomalee District Secretary N.A.A. Pushpakumara said yesterday.

This block of land which was under LTTE control was demarcated and acquired by the government as a High Security Zone and leased out to the Board Of Investment (BOI) and later occupied by the army. However, an

Nearly 204 families who were originally living in the area would be resettled there. These families are still living in IDP camps

extraordinary gazette notice revoked the acquisition by the government and directed that the land be returned to the original residents.

Mr. Pushpakumara said two committees had been appointed to ensure that the resettlement process was completed by the end of August.

“Nearly 204 families who were originally living in the area would be resettled there,” he said and added that many of the displaced were still living in IDP camps at Muttur, Kiliveddi, Pattithidal and Manalchena.

“The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has agreed to construct temporary houses for the refugees and plans for the project have been drawn up,” Mr. Pushpakumara said.

The Ministry of Resettlement has drawn up plans to develop the infrastructure in the area while the District Secretary had been tasked with informing the residents of the plans.