TNA to meet President, PM over KKS lands

The TNA will meet President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe soon to request not to acquire the Kankesanthurai Cement Factory land to the Navy and lands adjacent to ‘Thal Sevana’ in Kankesanthurai (KKS) to the Army for tourism development, TNA MP Mavai Senathirajah said.
The MP, speaking at the Committee Stage of the Budget in Parliament yesterday when the Expenditure Heads of Transport and Civil Aviation Ministry and Ports, Shipping and Southern Development Ministry were taken up, said the Navy is trying to acquire 163 acres of land belonging to KKS Cement Factory.
“Previously, 62 acres of land of this factory were acquired for the KKS Presidential Palace built by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The lands adjacent to it are to be acquired by the Army for tourism development projects. We are against this move at all costs. This land is historically important to our people. A Hindu Kovil is situated in it,” he said.
“We are willing to cooperate with the Government to carry out several development projects in the North. We also appreciate Minister Sagala Ratnayaka’s understanding on our sentiments. However, land grabbing should not happen in the name of development projects,” he noted.
He said a TNA delegation would meet the President shortly to discuss this matter.