| The Urban Development Authority (UDA) has decided to pay Rs. 8,000 a month to the 20 families who were left homeless after their houses at Mews Street, Kompannaveediya in Colombo were demolished last Saturday by the UDA as part of its moves to clear the city of what it called illegal constructions.
A UDA spokesman said the families would be provided with permanent houses in Dematagoda in a year’s time. In the meantime, he said, four of the 20 families would be provided accommodation at unoccupied houses that were constructed in Dematogoda for people similarly evicted some time ago, while the rest will receive a monthly rent allowance. Costs relating to moving and transporting their belongings would also be met, he added.
 |
| A resident removing some of her belongings before her house was demolished |
“About 300 of those houses constructed last year are occupied while four are unoccupied and they will be given to the four families. Those who will receive rent money for a year could live with their relations if they wished to do so. We are building another housing scheme in Dematagoda where they can take up residency soon,” he said.
He said families who might have lost their income due to the demolition would be assisted financially.
Meanwhile former Municipal Councilor and Justice of the Peace M. A. Sharafdeen told The Sunday Times on Wednesday legal action would be taken against what he called the “illegal demolition” of houses in Slave Island.
“We are not against development. But the government has not given these people a proper alternative,” he charged. He conceded that the authorities have agreed to pay a rent allowance of Rs. 8000 a month to each affected family. He said the families were not given enough time to leave their houses.
Some of the residents who were evicted last week told The Sunday Times they had occupied those houses for decades and even had deeds to prove their ownership.
The spokesman however maintained that the houses were illegal constructions that had been built on state owned land.
“There are many types of deeds. If they have the proper deeds, they can produce them. This is state land and these are unauthorised structures on state land,” he claimed.
He accepted that the residents have the right to go to courts but insisted that that would not hinder the relocation programme
“They have the right to go to courts. That won’t slow down the process, it would only speed it up,” he said. |
E-mail
