Minister of Plantations and Community Infrastructure Samantha Vidyarathna has inspected the progress of a housing project for families affected by the Ditwah disaster in Mahiyanganaya, where construction of several houses has reached its final stages.

According to the Ministry of Plantations and Community Infrastructure, the Minister recently visited the project in the Medayaya Grama Niladhari Division to assess the ongoing construction work.

The project, which commenced approximately three months ago, involves the construction of 41 houses, with work progressing rapidly at various stages.

Plans are also underway to provide approximately 30 additional plots of land to other families affected by the disaster.

The project is part of the government’s broader programme to provide permanent housing to 3,748 families in the Badulla District whose homes were completely destroyed or who were residing in high-risk areas.

Under the programme, each beneficiary family will receive Rs. 5 million for house construction, distributed in three instalments of Rs. 2 million, Rs. 1.5 million and Rs. 1.5 million.

The government also plans to provide full freehold deeds for the land allocated for the houses.

Meanwhile, infrastructure development, including access roads, water supply and electricity connections, is being carried out alongside housing construction.

During the visit, Minister Vidyarathna emphasized that the government aims to resettle all disaster-affected families in new houses before the end of this year. (Newswire)

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Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Samantha Vidyarathna has accused Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Director General for Community Affairs, of illegally acquiring 18 acres of land belonging to the Department of Wildlife and Forest Conservation.

Addressing the media yesterday, Minister Vidyarathna said several complaints had been received from various parties, including environmentalists, regarding a racket involving land at the Bogahapelessa Forest Reserve, which was gazetted in 2013. 

Stating that the forest reserve belongs to both the Badulla and Monaragala Districts, Minister Vidyarathna said complaints had been received on the illegal acquisition of land and an unlawful electricity project in the area. 

He revealed that it had been found that a group had obtained 5482 acres of land in the area by giving instructions to officials without handing over proper documentation. 

“According to the project report, the land had been obtained by an individual identifying himself as K.T. Ranjith. We launched a probe to find this individual. It was found that he had used a fake NIC number for this purpose,” he said. 

Minister Vidyarathna said a probe into the NIC had found that it had an extra digit, and the original belonged to Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon, who served as former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Director General for Community Affairs.

“This K.T. Ranjith is Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon, the former governor. Now it is evident who is behind this racket. These people have also obtained high-voltage power lines,” he said. 

Minister Vidyarathna e said as a solution to this issue, it has been decided to grant electricity supply to the Unakanda Village in the area, assuring that the racketeers will not be given an opportunity to benefit from this. 

His comments come after it was found that 18 acres of land at the Bogahapelessa Forest Reserve had been fraudulently acquired and that the CEB had approved a power project in the area at a cost of Rs. 120 million after receiving orders from the then President’s Secretary. (Newswire)

Minister Samantha Vidyarathna has accused former Governor Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon of illegally acquiring forest land through the use of forged documents and falsified information pic.twitter.com/w8TAG7vjIM

— NewsWire (@NewsWireLK) January 10, 2025

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