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Salawa fire: Compensation for about 1,225 houses and businesses
View(s):By Damith Wickremasekara
Compensation is to be paid to the owners of about 1,225 houses and business establishments destroyed or damaged in the Salawa ammunition depot inferno, a cabinet minister said yesterday.
A comprehensive compensation plan, including payments for damaged household goods and electronic equipment will be taken up for approval at the next cabinet meeting, Minister Susil Premajayantha said. He has been appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena to oversee compensation payments.
The compensation was estimated by a committee comprising valuation officers and engineers, he said.
Mr. Premajayantha said a proposal was being studied to pay a monthly rental of Rs. 50,000 to 400 more families. At present some 400 families are being paid this rental on the grounds they cannot occupy their houses due to damage caused by the fire.
Government officials making the assessment have said some of the households had claimed their damages amounted to as much as Rs. 30 million.
Colombo District Government Agent Sunil Kannangara told the Sunday Times that soon after cabinet approval was received they would begin the process of paying compensation.
He said that, according to reports received by his officials some of the estimates submitted by families appeared to be unreasonably high and therefore, the officials would have to recheck the estimates.