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| Friday, 6 August 2004 |
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Politics | |
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| Massive fraud in land distribution under UNF regime: Govt cancels all fraudulent deals by Manjula Fernando and Nadira Gunatilleke The Government has taken a decision to cancel all 528 land transactions done through the Land Reforms Commission (LRC) during January 1, 2002 to March 31, 2004. A Cabinet paper was presented by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to give effect to this cancellation. The Cabinet decision has been taken due to large-scale corruption and fraud that had taken place when disposing of State lands. The Cabinet has also decided to hand over investigations to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), said Cabinet spokesman and Minister Mangala Samaraweera. Addressing the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the Government Information Department, Colombo 5 yesterday, Minister Samaraweera said that some files relating to the transactions have gone missing. He said 190 transactions have taken place in connection with constructing houses while 243 were alienated for agricultural activities. Meanwhile, 95 transactions have been in connection with other activities. According to the Minister, the main characteristic of the applicants are that they were almost all politicians or the persons recommended by politicians. The former MPs of the UNP had distributed lands, lands bordering forest reserves and reserved lands among them without any shame or fear. Most such lands are in the Ratnapura and Galle districts. He said extents of 1714 acres from the Ratnapura district and 1210 acres from the Galle district had been allocated in this manner. Some lands identified to be alienated were in the Ratnapura, Galle, Matara and Matale districts are located bordering the Sinharaja, Dediyagala and Nakiyadeniya reserves. Moratukanda Watta located at Dambadeniya and Pilagodaweliwatta located in the Galle district had been distributed among the former MPs of the UNP. There are other characteristics in the land allocation. No project proposal had been subjected to appraisal. The Minister and the Chairman had used powers and recommended even the requests made by the working director, overriding the powers vested in the LRC. The LRC was not informed about the transactions even after alienating these lands. In some instances the Chairman had performed the duties of field officers. Even the supporters of the minister had been involved in these frauds. Permission had been given to pay survey charges and tax interests in instalments. Lands allocated for special tasks and the lands allocated for other institutions had also been leased. According to the request made by the people the Government appointed special committees to investigate large-scale fraud and corruption that had taken place at ministries during past regime. Through these investigations the Government has been able to uncover large-scale frauds and malpractices that has taken place during the previous regime. This is the first time in the history that such a huge fraud and corruption had taken place in the country. Minister Samaraweera also said that a large extent of land had been distributed among politicians and their relatives. Some relatives' connections are obvious and other relatives' connections can be traced if someone examine them thoroughly. ********* Mangala demolishes Rajitha Cabinet spokesman Minister Mangala Samaraweera revealed yesterday that former Lands Minister Rajitha Senaratne (Lands) has allocated a large portion of land for the Rajitha Senaratne Foundation during his tenure as Minister under the UNF regime. The lands had been taken from the Perth estate and Elakanda estate at Horana in the Kalutara district. Three acres had been taken from one estate while an undisclosed extent of lands had been apportioned from the other estate. Only Rs. 10,000 had been paid for the entire transaction although this Foundation has not even been registered. There are a large number of similar cases. For instance 100 acres located at Kalpitiya had been allocated to the Director of Triway International, Kadawatha, Ragama, an unknown company, for Rs. 50,000 according to a request made by former Tourism Minister Gamini Lokuge. Another 50 acres of land had been allocated for Haritha Abeynayake and it was taken by P. Abeynayake, former MP. Lands had also been allocated for another Sarath Ekanayake of Middeniya according to a recommendation of Somapala Ekanayake, member of Southern Provincial Council. Another 50 acres from Ethondagala estate had been allocated to Dinesh Punchinilame, No.23, Madiwela, Kotte (an address belongs to MPs official residence) for Rs. 25,000 as an advance. The recommendation was made by former Minister Punchinilame. 35 acres from Illukkanda estate had been allocated to Chathura Harshakumara Galappaththi, Kamburana, Matara and P.H. Geeganage, Horana. The land was taken by Justine Galappaththi, Present Opposition Leader of the Southern Provincial Council and former MP. |
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