'Govt not selling Northern lands'

The government refuted allegations made by certain elements that steps have been taken to sell lands in the North.

Minister Janaka Bandara  Tennakoon

No land will be acquired by the government without a valid reason, said Land and Land Development Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon at the ceremony to grant compensation at the Karainagar Navy Camp in Jaffna.

Over Rs 57 million was granted to 56 persons as compensation for lands acquired by the government to expand the Karainagar camp in 1985/1987.

An interest is also added to the compensation money from the day the acquisition of lands was gazetted until the day compensation was approved.

Minister Tennakoon said the provision of traditional land for the government by the Northern Tamil population to defeat terrorism at a time the LTTE was fighting for a separate state was a great sacrifice for the country.