MILITARY HAS RELEASED 70,000 ACRES IN NORTH SO FAR: MINISTRY

The Prison Reforms, Resettlement, Rehabilitation and Hindu Religious Affairs Ministry said that up to now, military forces had vacated more than 70,000 acres of land in the Northern Province.

Army commander Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva promised to release 189 acres of private land at Keppapilavu in the Mullaitivu District within the next six weeks after the allocations were received by them. At a meeting held at the Defence Ministry on Monday (24), the subject Minister D.M Swaminathan took responsibility to arrange the allocations soon.

The meeting was held with the participation of State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene and Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi. The three forces commanders, representatives from the police, the STF commander, members of parliament and Provincial

During the meeting the army commander also promised to re-open the Thondar Mannar to KKS road soon

Council members also took part.

During the meeting the army commander also promised to re-open the Thondar Mannar to KKS road soon, the ministry said.

Army commander said that some of the private lands close to Mailady Junction will be taken up for consideration in a bidtoreleaselandtothepublic soon.

During the meeting, the Mullikulam issue was also taken up as a special matter.

The ministry said the Navy commander had told Minister Swaminathan that he would look into the matter and organize a meeting with the people of Mullikulam at the end of this month. The Navy commander agreed to release agricultural lands occupied by the people in Mullikulam.

Meanwhile Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi agreed to release farm lands to the provincial council if they have a system to pay the salaries of the 11,000 people who worked at the farm. This farm was being run by the Civil Defence Force and the salaries paid by the Defence Ministry.