FACES CHARGES FOR ALLEGED THEFT OF SAND AND USING FORGED MAHAWELI AUTHORITY EMBLEM

Private contractor in trouble

Member of the Central Provincial Council Tissa Bandara (UNP) yesterday exposed a massive racket involving the use of sand belonging to the government by a private contractor. The PC member pointed out that sand removed during excavations in the Thamanela Canal had been illegally taken away by a contractor to another building site in Dambulla .

With a team of media personnel he visited Dambulugama and pointed out the large quantities of sand removed from the Thamanela Canal being loaded using backhoes into tipper lorries. He said that this racket resulted in two irregularities; one being illegal sand mining in the canal while the second was the theft of sand which was government property.

However the contractor involved in the alleged irregularity fled the scene and avoided the PS member and the media personnel. However, a team from Dambulla Police and the STF that rushed to the scene on

The suspects used a forged emblem of the Mahaweli Authority on vehicles transporting sand

information from the PS member arrested two men and seized the tipper lorry and machinery. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects used a forged emblem of the Mahaweli Authority on vehicles transporting sand.

HQI Dambulla Police said the contractor wanted in connection with the racket would be arrested and legal action taken against him for the alleged theft of sand and the use of a forged emblem of the Mahaweli Authority.