Mount Residents’ Association tackles high rises
View(s):The Mount Lavinia Residents’ Association (MLRA) has got as many as 50 complaints after the Business Times had highlighted their issues pertaining to illegal high-rises.
Kishan Ratnayake, President MLRA told the Business Times that the association has taken up most of these issues on behalf of the citizens. “These citizens are mostly from the Dehiwela – Mt. area but we had inquiries from Nawala as well. More than 90 per cent of these queries were directed to us by the Business Times,” he added.
The Business Times receives at least two telephone calls a day on high-rise building issues and also mail seeking assistance with apartment related issues.
A resident noted that enforcement authorities are lethargic which has become a new challenge for the residents who are dependent on these authorities. Another resident, also a MLRA member added that the moment there’s some lethargy from the authorities, the errant builders, on the alert/stopped construction and then restarts building. “It’s a menace. They clearly break the rules and when they become aware that MLRA has complained/collecting information, etc they stop all construction. When the authorities aren’t doing anything (getting late to send letters to stop illegal construction etc), they restart,” he said,
A Barnes Place resident and a member of the MLRA had got a letter from the Municipality after he had complained requesting a particular apartment builder to stop building. Other residents added that they are awaiting similar letters by the Municipality, and are dismayed at why a long time has lapsed for enforcement action.
Mr. Ratnayake noted that citizens at Mount have joined the MLRA ‘literally’ in drones. “We started these three months ago with 30 members and now it has grown to 250,” he added noting that it was the Business Times which spearheaded this citizens’ initiative. He said that MLRA successfully completed a dengue clean up at the Mount Lavinia seaside last week. “We will be conducting more such community activities in the months to come,” he said.