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| Saturday, 14 February 2004 |
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| Rajitha refutes allegations on 'Morning Side' by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi Lands Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne yesterday refuted certain allegations made against him that he had handed over a land adjoining a section of the Sinharaja Forest. "These allegations are baseless and I have done nothing illegal as the particular land does not come under the conservation area, Minister Senaratne told a press briefing at the Office of the Government Spokesman yesterday. He said, the particular land known as "Morning Side" is not belonged to conservation area and even has not been gazetted as a conservation area. "I have not given an inch of land from a conservation area. All I have done was to allocate a land belonging to Land Reforms Commission (LRC) for which I have all the necessary powers." Recalling his involvement in the setting up of the LRC in 1970s as a student leader, Minister Senaratne said the lands taken over by the LRC were cultivated lands and they need to be given to the people for development activities. "All the lands released by me have been done according to the market value. We only lease out lands. We are not selling them." "Besides, we have also decided to allocate another 5,000 acres of lands extending the Sinharaja Forest and reforestation activities around Sinharaja," he added. The Minister noted that he had already taken steps to introduce a National Policy on Lands for the proper utilisation of lands to ensure the country's development. "I have already implemented several measures to ensure proper utilisation of LRC lands." With these innovative measures, Minister Senaratne said the LRC has earned nearly 70 million profits during the last year. "Earlier, the LRC was listed by the Treasury as an institution which needs to be privatised. I have changed that and LRC has now become a profitable institution." Minister Senaratne said there are a number of people who are illegally utilising the LRC lands." I have taken steps to stop such illegal activities as these people are not paying a cent to the state for utilising Government owned lands. We will not lease out lands free of charge or at low amounts. We are leasing out lands at the rate of market value." He said, those baseless allegations are aimed at slinging mud at him and tarnishing his political image." But those unfounded allegations cannot hamper my political career." |
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