Court orders removal of unauthorised structures

Sarath Malalasekera

Nugegoda Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Wasantha Jinadasa directed C. Ladduwahetty of Thalawathugoda Road, Madiwela, Kotte, the respondent in a land case, to remove the unauthorised structures that he had constructed in the land in question and submit a report to court on the next date, October 16.

This case was filed by the Urban Development Authority and Jude Megan Amarasinghe of Thalawathugoda Road, Madiwela, Kotte (intervening petitioner) against C.Ladduwehetty.

At the outset senior attorney Nalin Ladduwahetty who appeared for the respondent, C. Ladduwahetty, submitted to court that authorities are trying to harass the respondent in order to collect material for the civil case pending before the District Court.

Counsel Ladduwahetty who appeared with Swinitha Nanayakkara said that all unauthorised structures mentioned by the Urban Development Authority had been removed earlier.

Attorneys Priyaranjana Jayasinghe and Manjula Pathiraja, appeared for the complainant.

Judge Mega Amarasinghe submitted that the respondent had removed the unauthorised structures, but there is an unauthorised drain collecting rain water in the land. This section had not been removed, the counsel said. Counsel Sumith Buddhika Soysa, who appeared for the Urban Development Authority also made submissions before court in respect of unauthorised structures and requested the Court to inspect the land before making an order. Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty objected to the application made by the Counsel for the Urban Development Authority to inspect the land in question.

He said that some unknown persons had come to the land and taken several pictures of the land.