WE HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 35 YEARS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM: CHANDRIKA
Chandrika Jayasundara, a middle aged woman living with her mother is helpless after her house was heavily damaged due to the tunnel blasts.
“It has been thirty five years since we began living in this area. We have experienced heavy rainfall several times but nothing that negatively affected our lives like this incident. All our problems started with the beginning of this Broad Lands project two years ago. We are always worried when the blasts come, we keep thinking, what will happen now? Will a cupboard collapse? We walk carefully fearing that our weight might deepen the cracks on the walls. We understand work has to be done but it should not damage our homes in the process. After the first blast, four families who lived in four houses were removed from their damaged houses and they were given money for rent charges of new houses. However, last May 30, I noticed many cracks on the floor of the house. The cracks were getting larger. Subsequently, I informed the project authorities who later visited my house and asked me to vacate the house which was under heavy risk. Since I was not in a position to pay for rents, I didn’t leave. But, one day I felt that the roof and walls were about to collapse and I immediately left the house with my mother. I am still staying in a relative’s place temporarily.”
SEEKING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST INJUSTICE
When asked about the ownership of the house she said that during Former President R. Premadasa’s housing programme, they were given the houses and lands through a legal procedure and that they had the legal documents to prove their ownership to the properties.
“We have the legal documents approved by the Housing Development Authority too. No one can level charges against us saying these lands are illegally obtained or wrongly located,” Ms. Chandrika said. The residents sought legal favour against the ‘injustice’ meted out to them and necessary legal action against those who are responsible. According to their claims, the Project Manager Dr. Kamal Laksiri has informed the court that no damage to human life or property would be made during the project’s activities.
An officer of the Broad Lands project had also told residents that the cracks on the houses were results of a natural disaster.
Since I was not in a position to pay for rents, I didn’t leave. But, one day I felt that the roof and walls were about to collapse and I immediately left the house with my mother. I am still staying in a relative’s place temporarily