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Attidiya residents battle to save lakefront
The Attidiya Lake Crescent housing scheme residents are up in arms to save their lakefront properties from a land developer who has reportedly bought a portion of the lake.

While the residents alleged the developer had encroached on their land, the developer claimed he had been given a lease on the lake, twelve feet of the embankment and the lake's solitary island.

The residents alleged that though the land was originally advertised as two acres by the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation, it now covers thirty six acres due to the extensive dredging of the surrounding waters. The Sunday Times learns that the developers are planning to construct a waterside resort on the land.

Residents alleged that the developers plan to erect a wall on the embankment thus cutting off a large portion of the residents' view of the lake and the birds. "A massive fourteen foot wall some half a mile in length has already been built on the opposite side of the lake despite protests from the helpless residents of the Kawdana side, and we fear they will do something similar on the Lake Crescent side as well", Romany Rasquinho, a resident, said.

The residents point out that the development work is taking place in a highly residential area lying in close proximity to the Bellanvila Temple and the Attidiya Wetlands.

SLLRDC Chairman Somaweera Chandrasiri said the area was given out on a thirty-year lease before he took office. “Wwe have discovered a few discrepancies in the contract. As far as possible we have tried to rectify the shortcomings", Mr. Chandrasiri said. He stressed that the developer would not be allowed to go against the terms of the contract.

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