‘National Land and Waterways Protection’-a plan to avoid flood disasters

In an attempt to save the country from devastating flash floods and landslides in the future, the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry will launch an Islandwide action plan titled‘national Land and Waterways Protection’ to remove all unauthorized constructions and evict squatters who have occupied land obstructing waterways, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

Minister Ranawaka added that the project will get started from the banks of the Wellawatta Canal next Monday (5).

Addressing the media at his Ministry yesterday, Minister Ranawaka said 18

highrise buildings and another 4,000 houses and buildings constructed on either side of the Wellawatta Canal had already been issued with notices to move and a court order has been obtained by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) to remove them forcibly if necessary.

Minister Ranawaka pointed out that many development projects under then previous regime, mainly the Express Ways have been constructed without adhering to feasibility studies and Environment Impact Assessment Reports and violating environment laws. This has led to disrupt the smooth flow of rain water and caused floods and landslides.

“I appeal to all political parties and politicians not to use this issue for their political advantage because unauthorized constructions are the biggest contributing factors for floods and landslides to occur, not only in the cities but in other areas of the country too,” Minister Ranawaka stressed.

Minister Ranawaka said the removal of unauthorized constructions and squatters will be carried out in other cities as well and warned the public to stop unauthorized constructions and clearing of hill slopes for vegetable cultivation in the Nuwara Eliya and Badulla Districts in a haphazard manner. He said these activities would put the entire hill country in danger of experiencing landslides warning that this could have disastrous consequences for the country and its people and would be a threat to life and property.