COPA ORDERS PROBE ON UNSCRUPULOUS LAND SALES

in Western Province LG bodies

Following the sale of a land by the Wattala-mabola Urban Council disregarding tender procedures, the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has ordered to appoint three committees to look into the alleged misappropriations which had taken place when selling and leasing out lands by the local government bodies in the Western Province.

A statement issued by the Department of Communication of Parliament said the COPA has ordered the appointment of the three committees to probe the sale and leasing out of lands by the local government bodies in Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara.

Furthermore, the COPE instructed to make a request to the Western Province Governor to appoint a committee chaired by a retired judge to look into the alleged misappropriations occurred in relation to leasing out of lands disregarding tender procedures by the Wattala-mabola Urban Council.

These reports are to be handed over to the committee within two months.

The statement by the Department of Communication of Parliament said the Wattala-mabola Urban Council has taken measures to reacquire a plot of land of 79 perches which was sold without following tender procedures.

The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) had ordered the reacquisition of the land within the Wattala-mabola Urban Council limits on August 22.

MP Lasantha Alagiyawanna from the Committee on Public Accounts in Parliament on November 7 expressed their gratitude towards officials in the Western Provincial Council for the extra income obtained by the government through this reacquisition.

However, it was discovered by the COPA that though the land acquired was said to be 79 perches, in reality it was nine acres. Moreover, according to the Auditor General’s Department, from these nine acres, no information can be found regarding three acres of the land.

Accordingly, a full report containing all information in possession of the Wattala-mabola Urban Council about the nine acres of land was to be handed over to the COPA before November 11.

Furthermore, the committee said accurate measurements of the property are to be taken by the Survey Department and a report regarding that is to be handed over to the committee before December 11.

The COPA has also recommended to take swift measures to remove this plot of land from the ‘marshy-land’ category as it is not a marshy land. “The removal from this false category would increase the value of the land as well,” the statement said.

In addition, the committee said to use the land to fulfil needs of the public and if such need does not prevail, the land is to be leased under a tender basis.

The committee expressed their displeasure over the loss of income by the government due to leasing of land by the Wattala-mabola Urban Council without a proper tender basis. Moreover, they condemned the actions of the current chairman of the Wattalamabola Urban Council regarding his refusal to present himself before the COPE for further inquiries about the leasing of the land.

These reports are to be handed over to the committee within two months