UDA to continue demolition

The Urban Development Authority (UDA) will continue demolishing unauthorized dwellings on either side of the railway line in Slave Island close to the Secretariat halt, Secretary to Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Ministry Dr. Prathap Ramnujan said yesterday.

Asked whether the Supreme Court has issued a stay order to suspend the demolishing of houses, he said that he is not aware of any such order and the demolitions would continue.

"Within a couple of days we will complete the demolishing of all unauthorized dwellings along this stretch, which belongs to the railway and the former War Department area belonging to the Defence Ministry on Uttarananada Mawatha bordering Beira lake," he said.

Ranmujan pointed out that the existence of such dwellings in a High Security area is a threat to National Security and the government had take this decision.

Well informed sources said that successive governments made attempts to relocate the residents of this area with better housing facilities. But they were reluctant to leave the area.

They had been supported by certain politicians of different hue in order to gain votes.

Pandemonium reigned in Slave Island yesterday with clashes erupting between those occupying the unauthorized constructions and the UDA demolition crew.

Police had to use tear gas to disperse the protesting residents who clashed with the UDA officials.

The dwellings were demolished using back-hoe machines, an eye witnesses said.

Train services on the Southern coastal line were disrupted for a few hours as the residents sat on the rail tracks in protest.

No residents sustained serious injuries. Some had suffered minor injuries police said.

"The ‘Daily Mirror’ Journalist Yohan Perera and Cameraman Pradeep Dilrukshana, who visited the site, were allegedly assaulted by UDA officials and Perera whose neck, ear and the mouth were injured has been admitted to ward 72 of the National Hospital. Dilrukshan has suffered minor injuries Hospital sources said.

JVP Colombo district parliamentarian Lakshman Nipunarachchi said that the party is contemplating legal action against the government as some of the residents here had occupied the land for more than 50-60 years. It is against the law to demolish these dwellings.

Dr Ramnujan claimed that 80 per cent of the residents there have agreed to shift to the temporary housing provided by the UDA in Ferguson Road in Colombo -15.

He reiterated that those who don’t want to avail themselves of this facility would be paid a rent allowance of Rs 8,000-Rs 9,000 per month for a period of one year.

"They will be provided permanent houses in the 1,000-unit housing complex now being constructed in Dematagoda which will be completed in one year’s time." He said.

When told that some of the residents who will be losing their dwelling in Slave Island are complaining that the houses to be given to them in Dematagoda are too small he said that the floor area of each house will be 500 sq ft.