No evacuation of city dwellers - Defence Secy
Sandasen MARASINGHE
No one living within Colombo city limits would be sent out but
arrangements are being made for them to live in similar environments in
the same areas, while the country is propelled forward on the path of
development, Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya
Rajapaksa said yesterday.
Defence Secretary
Gotabhaya
Rajapaksa |
He made this observation at an awareness programme held for members
of 456 families in Slave Island on the Slave Island Re Development
Project at the area’s Convention Hall.
The Defence Secretary said the people in that block of land extending
to 6.5 acres, housed 456 families and some owned only a perch.
“They lived in underprivileged conditions.”
“The Urban Development Authority (UDA) initiated this project to
expedite the provision of better housing facilities for the people,” he
said.
He said the project was for the dwellers who owned the land but the
UDA was acting as a responsible mediator between them and TATA Housing
Development Company Ltd and 18 SG company to provide them a housing
complex and initiate another investment project in the same land. He
said most of the tourists and investors visiting the country said the
country is clean and fit for investment and these projects would enhance
the cleanliness and beauty of the city bringing in more investors and
tourists.
The Defence Secretary said this would create more earning
opportunities for the public.
He said the trust that would be built in the people by such projects
would help create such complexes in other areas in Colombo.
This project which will commence in 2013 is to be completed within
two years and each family will be paid Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 as house
rental during this period.
Colombo Mayor A J M Muzammil, UDA chairman Nimal Perera, Sandeep
Ahuja from TATA Housing Development Company, Sanyogitha Atir from 18 SG
Company, UDA Director General Prasad Ranaweera and architect Nilesh de
Silva also spoke. |