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Floods: 2,500 canal-bank squatter families to be evicted
View(s):Nearly 2,500 squatter families living close to canals in Colombo are to be evicted as they have been identified as one of the main causes of the flooding of the city and its suburbs, an official said.
The squatter families will not be offered compensation or alternative locations, Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLRDC) Chairmnan W.M.A.S. Iddawala told the Sunday Times. He said that in a survey carried out after last month’s devastating floods, the corporation had identified the squatter families which should be evicted.
Among the areas from where such squatter families would be evicted are Nawala, Kotte, Gothatuwa, Bloemendhal and the banks of major and secondary canals. He said the survey was carried out on a directive of President Maitrhipala Sirisena who met senior officials to discuss the reasons for the major flood.
Mr. Iddawala said that some of these squatter families were known to be already in possession of a house provided by the Government, but had rented out their new houses and were living in the same location thereby blocking the flow of water.
He said some of them had put up shops and walls across waterways worsening the flood situation.
He said that after the evictions, the squatters would not be allowed to return to the areas. The recent flooding displaced more than 150,000 people in the Colombo district. The filling of marshy lands and flood water retention areas was identified as another main cause of the flooding.