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Probe on land bordering tank
UNP Parliamentarian Range Bandara claims property owned by his family for many years
The Irrigation Department has initiated an investigation into a land bordering the Tabbowa wewa in Karuwalagaswewa, Puttalam district amidst claims that UNP Parliamentarian Range Bandara was constructing a building in the tank reserve area.

Ms. Shrimathi Samaraweera, Director (Assets Management and Water Management) of the Department told The Sunday Times, the Irrigation Deputy Director in Puttalam has been asked to submit a full report on the current status of the land.

Karuwalagaswewa Divisional Secretary has also sought the advice of the Irrigation Department in Colombo on the controversial construction and on other adjoining lands which may be part of the tank reserve.

However, Mr. Bandara strongly denied allegations the construction was illegal or was being carried out in the tank reserve saying the property belonged to his family.

"This land has been owned by my family even when I was in school. The area has been not declared as a tank reserve nor have we been informed about such a reserve", Mr. Bandara told The Sunday Times.

He denied claims a hotel was being constructed in the area adding that he was building a hall for his party members to have meetings. Officials in the area however said there was a strong possibility that part of the land belonged to the tank reserve as the capacity of the tank had been expanded in 1990 with its spill level raised.

"There is a possibility that part of the controversial land now belongs to the reserve though it has not been declared so far, but the Irrigation Department has the right to acquire such land", one official said.

The controversy over the land was further aggravated last week when a journalist accompanied by another person photographed the construction taking place.

Some villagers had alerted the MP about two persons taking photographs of the building under construction and the MP who arrived at the scene had told them the matter would had to be settled in the police station as he claimed they had entered the land illegally and also reportedly posed as environmental officials.

At the police station the journalist, Hiran Priyankara and a friend Wasantha Kumara had been detained and later produced before courts on the grounds they had trespassed on the land and been guilty of impersonation. However, the journalist denied he had entered the land. On Wednesday journalists organisations held a protest in the area against the detention.

FMM condemns police action
The Free Media Movement has condemned the Police action to arrest journalist Hiran Priyankara and charge him for trespass and impersonation.

A statement from the FMM expressed concern that Mr. Priyankara Jayasinghe, a Puttalam district provincial journalist of Lankadeepa newspaper had been arrested and produced in courts on charges of trespass and impersonation when he tried to take photographs of what was said to be a hotel being built by Parliamentarian Range Bandara of the UNP in the catchment area of the Tabbowa wewa.

The FMM said this is a public interest issue and journalists have the right to report on it. The FMM expects an impartial and speedy inquiry will be held into this case without any influence from politicians and journalists, FMM spokesman Sunanda Deshapriya said.

Camera, film released
Puttalam District Judge Amal Tillekeratne on Thursday ordered the police to release the camera and film used by photojournalist Hiran Priyankara to take pictures of the construction carried out by parliamentarian Ranga Bandara adjoining the Tabbowa wewa. The court also set July 13 as the next day for the case to be heard.

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