Text and Pix by Ashanthi Warunasuriya in Minuwangoda
- President Maithripala Sirisena had last year ordered a crackdown on land excavation in the area
- The land excavation extends to Kotugoda
- Residents complained that government officials had not visited the area to investigate the matter
A land excavation racket being carried out in Minuwangoda with the support of a leading underworld figure in the area has been unearthed.
The Sunday Leader visited Minuwangoda and witnessed first-hand the land excavation taking place in the area on a large scale.
President Maithripala Sirisena had last year ordered a crackdown on land excavation in the area.
According to the residents in the area, the dry weather being experienced in the country and land excavation has caused a severe shortage of drinking water in the area.
Sources said that information has come to light of the land excavation extending to Kotugoda.
At present the illegal land excavation is being carried out in Udugampola, Yagodamulla, Nedagamuwa, Pasgammana, Kotugoda, Pathaduwana, UkgalgodaWeliya and Welhena in the Minuwangoda Divisional Secretary division.
The Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) said that they were aware of the land excavation taking place in the area and the Special Task Force (STF) was to be deployed to crackdown on the racket
GSMB Director General D.Sajjana De Silva said that they were keeping a close watch on the developments in the area.
During our visit to the area, residents complained that government officials including the Grama Sevaka, Samurdhi, Agriculture and GSMB officers or the police had not visited the area to investigate the matter.
Although the GSMB has issued three licenses to the 119/2 GS division for earth removal they expired in February 2017.
A visit to the Yagodamulla area revealed the District Secretary (DS) office has not issued clearance to carry out land excavation this year. An official of the local council said that the license of the last licensee who had obtained permission for earth removal, has also expired.
The Assistant Divisional Secretary said they had not been informed of land excavation taking place in the area and added that the GSMB is in charge of issuing licenses.
When this newspaper visited the Yagodamulla Junction several trucks were seen transporting soil out from the area via Sri Dhammaloka Mawatha. Land excavation was being carried out in broad daylight. The area that had been cleared amounted to 2,3 acres of land near Saddhatissapirivena road.
“We see a lot of trucks going here and there with soil but we do not know what happens to them,” area residents said.
A police officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that pursuing the issue was seen as problematic.
Notorious gangsters in the area, including Kalu Gamini, Lalinda, Sitha and Asitha are among those involved in the racket, sources revealed.
The Sunday Leader contacted the Police media unit and asked if they were aware of the racket but the police could not provide any information.
This newspaper also contacted the Officer in Charge of the Minuwangoda police station. The OIC however said the alleged racket did not fall within his area.
Crime OIC of the Minuwangoda police, Dissanayake said he was unaware of the land excavation being carried out in the area. He also said that the level of crimes in the area have reduced and insisted there was no undue political influence on their work.
The Sunday Leader witnessed persons and machinery used to remove earth moving freely in the area unchecked by the police.
The level of land excavation taking place in the area poses a threat to the Mahena Cemetery.
Another 50 perch plot of land was also being cleared in the area. However, it was temporarily halted due to strong objections from the residents.
While the Minuwangoda Police OIC had said that the area in question does not come under his jurisdiction, it is clear that the areas are within 7 km from the Minuwangoda police station.
The GS officer of the Minuwangoda 119/2 GS division A.A. Nishanthi said that she could not comment on the matter and asked us to contact the Divisional Secretariat.
“Last week we had to distribute water into 83 GS divisions in Minuwangoda. With the drought conditions this earth removal has caused a major shortage of water. We have informed the authorities about this issue. This issue has now claimed several lives. Most of the time these racketeers are able to secure licenses from the government with the help of undue influences. So we are only left with contacting the police. Some even think that we too are accepting bribes from these racketeers. I do not have any connections with the underworld, but there were certain local council members who openly supported these scandals. We do not approve Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake’s conduct in Divulapitiya but he spoke the truth. As we see it there is a lack of involvement from senior government officers. Furthermore, the loopholes in law have made it easy for these culprits to operate freely,” Minuwangoda Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) organiser Ruwan Ranatunga said.
Expressing his views on the matter, opposition Parliamentarian Prasanna Ranathunga said that when the former government was in power they were able to draw attention to the racket and bust it.
“ But after January 08 2015, these racketeers have once again started to operate in public. At the local development committee meeting its chairman Edward Gunasekera said that this has to stop as it is causing the breach of public peace as well as environmental damage. We have already urged the President to take action to stop this issue but so far nothing has happened. The government officials are working in fear of underworld gangsters. So these earth removal scams are going on under government sponsorship. That is why the authorities cannot stop this,” he said.
Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake said “At present the scandal at Divulapitiya has been stopped by the Mines Bureau, the CEA and the Divisional Secretariat. I do not know much about the land excavation in Yagodamulla. Some people have even accused me of being involved in these rackets but we were the ones who objected to the transportation of soil from Akaragama to Muthurajawela to reclaim land. I have obtained the details about MP Indika Anuruddha via RIT. His family members are also involved in this racket. Due to this issue, MP Indika even tried to kill me. I have lodged a complaint at the Police on the matter but no matter how much they try to sling mud at me, people know who I am.”
In reply,
MP Indika Anuruddha said “Our past generations have been carrying out this trade for many years. We have factories that produce tiles and bricks. I have not aided any illegal activity. It is Minister Ramanayaka who is aiding the culprits. My Uncle D.W.L. Appuhami has become angry with me after I had refused to give him soil consignments. Then he has joined hands with Ranjan. Accordingly Ranjan has even sent a letter to the District Secretary asking him to extend the license of an earth removing quarry that is being maintained by Appuhami. I challenge him to show his innocence.”
However, the problem of illegal earth removal is going on without a solution. It has now come to a hazardous stage. Thus it is now up to the President of the country to put an end to this madness. We will be revealing more information on the matter in our future episodes.
Source – 15/03/2017,The Sunday Leader, See more at – http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2017/03/12/underworld-behind-land-excavation-racket/
