It has been reported that serious suspicions have arisen among affected parties regarding the naming of two senior officials by the Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) to investigate allegations that approval was granted illegally for the construction of the proposed ‘Homeland Pentara’ 40-storey residential complex on Havelock Road, Thummulla, Colombo 05.
According to those parties, the newly appointed Minister in charge of the UDA, Mr. Bimal Rathnayake, is known as a person who would never tolerate corruption, and they allege that this internal committee was appointed by UDA officials with the ulterior motive of sabotaging or influencing the formal investigation that the new Minister is expected to initiate soon.
After the UDA granted approval for the construction of the said housing complex, the local residents initially launched a protest campaign against it. Subsequently, they sent written complaints to both the President and the Prime Minister, notifying them of their opposition.
In response to these letters, the President’s Secretariat and the Prime Minister’s Office have instructed the relevant authorities to immediately conduct an investigation into these allegations.
Furthermore, it has been learned that residents have now decided to take legal action against the project and have already obtained the support of several President’s Counsels to proceed with the case.
From the very beginning, our newspaper Mawurata and the Mawurata News website have continuously reported on this matter. Following our revelations, many other media outlets have now begun to pay close attention to the issue. However, the absence of coverage by major mainstream media in recent times has raised public suspicion as well.
At present, Minister Bimal Rathnayake is on an official visit to China and Pakistan, but residents believe that upon his return to Sri Lanka, the Minister will direct his attention to this issue.
Legal Situation!
A resident of Clayson area, Colombo 05, Mrs. Thusitha Kumara Kulasingham, has written to both the President and the Prime Minister regarding the conduct of certain UDA officials. She revealed that the UDA had granted approval for a 40-storey construction to the relevant company through the intervention of certain officials, exceeding the legally permissible limit and based on incorrect calculations.
President’s Office: It has been informed that the complaint has been referred to the relevant authorities to examine and take necessary future action.
Prime Minister’s Office:It has been informed that attention has been drawn to the complaint, and the relevant divisions have been instructed to take necessary steps to enforce the law if any irregularities are found.
