Navy guards have been deployed in a strategically located plot of prime beach land at Uppuveli in Trincomalee after reports that local politicians were selling them in lots under fake deeds.
The move, the Sunday Times learnt, surfaced after politicians linked to the Eastern Provincial Council and the Municipal Council in Trincomalee had reportedly sold 25 blocks of 15 perches each.
“Upon learning of this, I have intervened. I informed the Ministry of Tourism and other relevant authorities of this,” Eastern Province Governor, Mohan Wijewickrema, a retired Rear Admiral told the Sunday Times. He said that the land earlier housed a camp for Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and had been vacated only recently.
Details of how the illegal sale had been carried out are not clear. One official source said, “We suspect that those in the Eastern Provincial Council and the Municipal Council were in collusion.”
However, R. Pathmanathan, Secretary to the Lands Ministry in the Eastern Provincial Council dismissed the allegation. Officials in Colombo said fuller details would emerge when a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) inquiry was held.The Uppuveli state land, adjoining a luxury tourist hotel, had been earmarked for tourism purposes.
Tourism Ministry Secretary George Michael said he was aware of the fake transactions. “No one, politician or otherwise, had the right to get anyone to move into this land. It belongs to the state.” He added “We have informed the highest levels of the Government and action will soon follow.”
Wimal Piyatissa, a Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) member in the Eastern Provincial Council, blamed the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province and local government officials. Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan was not available for comment. However, one of his aides said “this is completely untrue.”
This new development came as members of Mr. Chandrakanthan’s Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) in the EPC wrote to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, seeking the removal of Governor Wijewickrema.
The Governor said yesterday his removal was possible only if the council passed a resolution by two thirds majority. Then the President would have to initiate an inquiry before removing him from the post.
“In my case no such resolution has been passed by the EPC. I have been discharging my duties impartially, not allowing corruption and abuse of power in the administration of the Council,” he told The Sunday Times. |
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