‘Don’t encourage illegal constructions’

K.A. Perera, Wadduwa special corr.

Politicians should not aid and abet illegal construction of buildings and filling of marshy lands as it has reached a critical point said Industrial Development and Ranaviru Welfare Minister Kumara Welgama.

“Today even for a minor shower the low-lying areas in the Kalutara district get inundated with flood waters. People face immense problems specially in rural areas,” he said addressing the district co-ordianting committee meeting held at the Kalutara Secretariat.

He said development in almost all the divisional secretariat divisions have shown satisfactory results in 2008, due to the devoted efforts of the Government Agent, Kalutara, S. Happuarachchi and the other officials of the divisional secretariat divisions. Ninety percent the allocated projects have been completed.

The ‘Gama Naguma’ program of the Mahinda Chintana concept has brought great relief to the above areas,” he said.

Thusitha Kularatna, Chairman of Bulathsinhala Pradesiya Sabha said the low-lying areas of Bulathsinghala are affected by floods due to the Kukuleganga project and the express highway from Matara.

The people should be told to evacuate from flood affected areas. S. Happuarachchi said ‘under ‘Gama Neguma’ and ‘Jatika Saviya’ programmes 1157 projects have been approved and are to be implemented in Kalutara district the estimated cost is 424 millions.

He said 484 projects have been completed at a cost of Rs. 121 millions.