The Coastal Conservation Department this morning removed fish stalls that had been illegally constructed along the Dewata beach in Galle.
The move drew strong dissatisfaction from traders, who claimed they had earlier been removed from their previous trading locations and that Municipal Council officials themselves had set up stalls for them at this site.
They accused the Department of arriving suddenly, without prior notice, and dismantling the stalls without giving sufficient time to remove their goods.
Officials of the Coastal Conservation Department rejected these allegations, stating that traders had already been properly informed beforehand to remove the unauthorized constructions.
Police and Special Task Force (STF) officers were deployed to the site to provide security for the clearance operation. (Newswire)
