News

Fresh criteria for new Grama Sevaka Divisions: Delimitation Committee

Tamil parties want them on ethnic lines, accuse Govt. of State sponsored colonisation
By Chris Kamalendran

The Delimitation Committee is to propose fresh criteria on demarcating boundaries of Grama Sevaka Divisions (GSD). Secretary to the Committee, Jinasiri Dadallage, who is also Additional Secretary- Ministry of Public Administration & Home Affairs, told the Sunday Times that the Committee has received more than 4,000 suggestions with most of them based on ethnic lines.

He said that the Committee was in favour of maintaining the existing 14,022 GSDs, and form new Divisions only where alternatives were not possible. Amalgamating smaller Divisions also is among the proposals.

It is to be proposed that the number of families to be included in a GSD is 500 for a rural area, 500-1000 families in a suburban area, and 1000-2,500 families in an urban area. He said that the Committee was not in favour of demarcation of GSDs on ethnic lines.

The Committee has proposed that, when a new GSD is to be established, the number of families, convenience to the public, social and other factors, road facilities and physical boundaries should be taken into consideration.

The Committee suggests that, in order to establish a new Divisional Secretariat (DS), there should be at least 50-75 GSDs. However, currently there are DSs with less than 10 GSDs.
Meanwhile, controversy reigns over the establishment of a new DS division in the Welioya area comprising 16 GSDs.

Four of the GSDs have been taken from the Vavuniya District, while five have been taken from the Mullaitivu district, to be annexed to the existing seven divisions in Welioya, to create the new DS division.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has raised objections to the amalgamated creations of the new DS division, which they claim can affect the balance of the ethnic ratio within the district.

The TNA also claimed that lands previously owned by the Tamils, have been taken and distributed among new settlers, depriving the original landowners from returning to their land to cultivate.
Other Tamil parties too have backed the protest by the TNA.

TULF leader V. Aanandasangaree told the Sunday Times that, while the Government was talking to the TNA, they were involved in colonising the Welioya area. He said they were requesting the Government not to promote State sponsored colonisation programmes.

Meanwhile, Minister of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing & Common Amenities, Wimal Weerawansa asked Tamil politicians not to demand distribution on ethnic lines. Mr Weerawansa, speaking at the launch of the construction of a new housing scheme in Katana, under the ‘Janasevana’ programme, said that the demand by Tamil politicians could create ethnic disharmony.

Top to the page  |  E-mail  |  views[1]
SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend
 
Other News Articles
India in visa row with Lanka
Rajapaksa leaves on Tuesday for Commonwealth summit
Printing errors: Census put off
US revives GSP but another hurdle remains
CEB wants to increase rates
Alleged threat to dissident member: Tilvin summoned to police
Lanka will work with new Libya
Public seminar on Govt.’s new Property laws
Ancient A’pura temple restored and open to worshippers
"The Cedar tree has been felled but the fragrance lingers"
The Olympic truce resolution: Sport, the 'quiet diplomat' of peace
Shocking reports of alleged rapes within 24 hours
Snares are latest weapon in relentless man-beast conflict
Sources tightlipped on SEC chief Malik Cader’s status
Now Trinco-Batti road journey sans ferries
Beauty may be skin deep, but beauty treatments can be harmful, even kill
Excerpts from the Speeches made during the debate on the Motion on the Breakdown of Law & Order
Excerpts from the speeches made during a debate on an adjournment motion on issues affecting the North and East
A family’s heartburn after dengue robs them of teenage daughter
Racket of ‘seizing’ Defender jeeps at gunpoint busted Gang operated security firm as front
Fresh criteria for new Grama Sevaka Divisions: Delimitation Committee
Midwives, nurses in battle for labour rooms in state hospitals
Court frees visa overstayer seeking US asylum
Jail for five LTTE fundraisers in Netherlands
The case based on evidence of The Leader Editor was not reliable: Defence
News in brief
Lunch cooked, packed under unhygienic conditions 9-hours before mealtime
Interventional Radiology Unit suffers seizure, prognosis unknown
  Mulleriyawa incident: Conflicting evidence given by witnesses
I’m not against beautification of Colombo, but it must be for all not some: Muzammil
How the Western Province probation service functions
Everyone’s baby but nobody’s child
Central PC calls for urgent improvments at Kandy Teaching Hospital
Fined for making threats over phone
Educate road users: Magistrate

 

 
Reproduction of articles permitted when used without any alterations to contents and a link to the source page.
© Copyright 1996 - 2011 | Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.Colombo. Sri Lanka. All Rights Reserved | Site best viewed in IE ver 8.0 @ 1024 x 768 resolution