More islands for tourism in Puttlam

Indunil HEWAGE

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has embarked on a project to acquire 17 islands in the Puttlam lagoon.

At the moment the acquisition process for 17 islands is going on, a senior official said. Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Resort Project Project Director Saman Navaratne said it is expected to create 5,000 rooms after leasing out these 14 islands in the Kalpitiya area and 17 islands in Puttlam.

The main objectives of KITRP projects will be to set up 5,000 resort rooms whilst implementing infrastructure development activities for the benefit of people in the relevant area.

As the first step of the KITRP project two islands namely Ippantivu and Velli I, II and III were leased for interested parties to construct 150 and 200 room villas with total investments of US $ 1.2 million and 1.7 million respectively.

At present environmental assessments are being done in these islands. The assessment of the remaining 10 islands which come under the second stage of the KITRP project has come to a standstill.

However, it was planned to generate over US $ 500 million investment from these 10 islands alone. "Interested investors had also been requested to give five percent to 10 percent out of their total investment to a Corporate Social Responsibility fund to raise over US $ 20 million to assist the infrastructure development activities," Navaratne said.