New programme to settle shanty dwellers

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe

Chief Government Whip Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told Parliament yesterday that the Government has already commenced a new programme to overcome the shelter problem of the shanty dwellers within the Colombo city.

Responding to a question by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake, the Minister said the UNP which ruled the Colombo city over the past 75 years, should take the responsibility on the shelter problem of shanty dwellers.

"It was the UNP which kept these innocent people in slums during the past 75 years without providing them any permanent shelter," he said.

The Government has already taken immediate measures to uplift the living conditions of these people in shanties and provide a permanent solution to their shelter problem, the Minister said.

Karunanayake said the PA has also ruled the country during the past 14 years.