Kepapaulavu and Pudukuduirippu: President assures release of lands within 2 days

President Maithripala Sirisena has assured that the lands in Kepapaulavu and Pudukuduirippu will be handed over to the people in the area within two days, Opposition Leader R Sampanthan said yesterday.

Mr Sampanthan told a media briefing last evening that the President gave this assurance when the TNA MPs met him last afternoon.

“Some 54 families in Kepapaulavu have been given permits and 42 of them are reported to be in order according to investigations carried out by the Government Agent. Therefore these families will have to decide whether they are going to reside in these lands in Kepapaulavu or whether they want to go back to their original lands,” Mr Sampanthan said.

“When it comes to Pudukuduirippu the land will be given to 16 families when the army vacates the area after finding alternative land,” he added.

The opposition leader said the President contacted the Army Commander, the acting secretary of defence and other local authorities in their presence and directed them to release all lands within two days.

(Source: Daily Mirror – By Yohan Perera and Lahiri Pothmulla)