PERMISSION TO FILL IN MARSHLANDS DENIED TO THOSE WHO DID NOT SUBMIT DOCUMENTS BEFORE JULY 6

The Agricultural Service Department will not grant permission for paddy and marshlands to be filled in for construction to those who did not submit their documents before July 6, the Commissioner of the Agriculture Services Department M.A. Sunil Weerasinghe said yesterday.

Applications handed in before July 6 will allow construction on paddy and marshland but a new circular which banned construction on these lands was implemented from July 6, the Commissioner said.

Documents for construction are being processed for those who handed in the documents on time, Weerasinghe said.

He said the government had found that the illegal structures and constructions on these lands were the main cause for the recent floods and the President had strictly advised government officials to take firm action against these constructions.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, the Convener of the Movement of Land and Agriculture Reforms Chinthaka Rajapaksa said the government had to pay compensation to the new owners who purchased the land recently, just before the circular was issued.

He said the payment of compensation was a legal process and that the relevant government officials would have to take immediate action against those who had already purchased the lands.

Those who had already purchased paddy lands for constructions can neither process construction nor sell these lands and government officials had to implement fair measures for these people, he said.

The government directed the local government officials and state departments to take strict measures against paddy and marshlands used for construction so as to solve the flood issue, but the new regulation has unexpectedly left several residents around Colombo helpless.

He said the government had found that the illegal structures and constructions on these lands were the main cause for the recent floods and the President had strictly advised government officials to take firm action against these constructions