No title deed to prove ownership of Ja-ela Urban council complex

It has been revealed that the land on which the Ja-ela Urban Council complex is situated and other properties belonging to the Ja-ela UC does not have title deeds proving their ownership.

This was revealed at the monthly meeting of the UC during which a proposal was brought up by the Vice Chairman of the UC Ruvinda Abeyrathne. By this proposal Abeyrathne stressed that the lands belonging to the UC which have no title deeds should be provided with Declaration Deeds and that play grounds, Community Centres, and Children’s Parks said to belong to the UC are without title deeds.

It was also mentioned that the deeds of the land on which the Ja-ela Rest house is situated has also gone missing. Abeyrathne stressed that on an earlier occasion this title deed was made use for a need of the UC by the former Chairman Earnest Fernando and himself, and title deeds had gone missing during the times of the later administrators.

Whenever plans of housing complexes and blocking out lands for sale are submitted to the UC for approval, the lack of title deeds at the UC office has stalled their activities. Sources linked to the UC have expressed fears that this would lead to the abusive use of lands belonging to the UC.