PRESIDENT SIRISENA MAKES SURPRISE VISIT TO SITE

Unauthorised filling of 406 acres of Muthurajawela Sanctuary Orders to stop the filling of lands

It is an utter lie that a permit has been obtained from the Department of Agrarian Services for allocation of 406 acres of the Muthurajawela Sanctuary for filling the land and build a housing complex.

This was revealed in the Development Committee of Wattala held recently in the auditorium of the Wattala Divisional Secretary’s Office under the patronage of the Wattala Sri Lanka Chief Organizer and Co-chairman, Western Provincial Councilor Doltan Janaka Sooriyabandara and Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs John Amaratunga .

Recently President Maithripala Sirisena visited the site and ordered to stop the filling of lands in the Muthurajawela Sanctuary. Minister John Amaratunga also instructed the Pamunugama Police OIC Pradeep Kumara to stop the filling of 406 acres of land in the Muthurajawela Sanctuary.

As no complaint had been made against this incident, the Minister instructed representatives from the Land Reclamation Development Board to lodge a complaint at the Pamunugama Police Station.

Representatives from t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f Agrarian Services, Urban Development Authority, Department of Wild Life, Land Reclamation Development Board, Department of Environment and the Road Development Authority said no request has been made to the relevant Ministries or Corporations to allocate lands for construction of a housing complex and a permit has not been issued for this project.

Minister John Amaratunga commended the OIC of Mahabage Police on a report submitted by the OIC with regard to drug peddlers arrested by the police, fines and punishments given by the court.

The Minister also instructed the representative who came from the Urban Development Authority to discuss with Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka and grant permission again to the local bodies, as the Urban Development Authority has taken the permission from local bodies.

Former Western Provincial Council Minister Lawrence Madiwela, Provincial Councilor Siri Kamal De Silva, Fernando, Private Secretary to the Minister and the newly elected members of the Wattala-mabola Urban Council participated at this meeting.