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People’s Forum
Problems with your pension? Delays in obtaining your driving licence or ID card? A road full of potholes which the authorities have turned a blind eye to? Don't despair. Beginning this week, The Sunday Times is glad to reintroduce its popular People's Forum column where we will help you unravel the red tape and get redress for problems that may have been plaguing you for months or even years.

Write in to People's Forum, c/o The Sunday Times, P.O. Box 1136, Colombo or email features@sundaytimes.wnl.lK, stating your problems. Please remember to attach photocopies of the necessary documents. Please include your name, address and contact number. Confidentiality will be maintained but letters without proper details of the sender cannot be followed up.

By Hiranthi Fernando and Dhananjani Silva
Unauthorised construction
I am writing about an unauthorized structure that has been put up in Pettah. This road was widened by the UDA in 1981. At that time we lost half of our property, but we did not protest as it was for a public purpose.
Then suddenly, an unauthorized construction came up on the main road which belongs to the UDA.

A concerned resident
The People's Forum visited the area and took photographs of the questionable construction, which is in front of a row of shops on the main road. (See picture on right)

The details were forwarded to the Municipal Commissioner for investigation and necessary action. The Commissioner said he would forward the letter to the District Engineer for investigation. The District Engineer has promised to send an officer to the site when he receives the letter from the Municipal Commissioner. The People's Forum will follow up on the matter.

Plight of pensioners
Recently, I went to the Secretariat at Dam Street, taking a widow to get her W & O.P. vouchers for the year. I found that the place where the pension office was situated earlier was being used as a lecture hall. I was told that the pension office had been shifted to the main building. When we climbed up the steps and entered the main building we were told that the pension office was located in the upper floor of the building.

Why has the pension office, which was in a separate building on the ground floor, shifted upstairs? For whose benefit? Can old pensioners with many ailments, especially with heart problems, strokes, varicose veins, arthritis etc, and those on crutches climb up 25 steps to reach the pension office.
Will the Secretary kindly take steps to locate the pension office on the ground floor?

Arul Rajendran
The People's Forum visited the Divisional Secretariat at Dam Street, Colombo. Divisional Secretary Kanthi Perera said that earlier the main Divisional Secretariat office and its various departments were scattered all over the building. Now the departments have been relocated so that all departments of the Divisional Secretariat are housed in one section of the building for convenience and more efficient functioning.

Ms. Perera said the Pensions Department required a large amount of space because there were important documents that needed to be safeguarded in the interest of the pensioners. Therefore, it had to be located in the available space which is on the first floor. Renovation work on the premises is still going on. In three months time, there will be a proper reception area, where the pensioners will be directed appropriately.

However, she said that as a temporary measure, if any pensioner found it difficult to climb up to the first floor, he could be directed to her room on the ground floor. She assured that she would attend to their needs, summoning the accountant to her room if needed. She said the Pensions Department would do its best to ensure that the pensioners were not inconvenienced.

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