President suspends removal of unauthorised constructions in Mirissa 

President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered the suspension of the removal of unauthorised constructions on the coastal belt in Mirissa, Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga said on Tuesday.

The Coast Conservation Department (CCD) was scheduled to remove the unauthorised constructions on the beach front in Mirissa today (May 1).

The minister told reporters that this was due to the requests made by certain politicians that had raised concerns over the removal of these constructions last week.
Minister Amaratunga also noted that this suspension was likely to be in place until the said unauthorised constructions were removed by their owners and registrations of these places were undertaken by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

This issue arose following an attack on three tourists, both physically and sexually, by a group of self-styled beach boys at a restaurant that was later closed down on the orders of the SLTDA until investigations were concluded.
Nine persons have been arrested in connection with the case and produced before the Matara Magistrate and remanded. 
Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara told the Business Times that the removal of unauthorised constructions in Mirissa had been postponed by the CCD and that police was unaware of the reason and added that they had agreed to send the required police personnel when requested.

CCD Director General Prabhath Chandrakeerthi told the Business Times that he had suspended the order to demolish the illegal structures in Mirissa in a bid to allow those owning these place to voluntarily remove them as per their requests.
He noted that they would be considering this request for the period of this month and added that the date for the removal of illegal structures in Negombo scheduled for May 8 has still not changed. – (SD)