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Former residents waiting in vain for justice
The residents who were evicted from the proposed golf course at Battaramulla are asking whether it was reasonable to be paid Rs. 305 per perch for a property that is being leased out to future residents at some Rs. 600,000 per perch.

The former owners had fought a long and hard battle since 1986, to get the land back or at least for a considerable sum as compensation. Since 1999, the residents had appealed to the Review Board but with no results.

This month, a delegation of former residents met Urban Development and Water Supply Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to urge the Government to take back the land and hand it to the Urban Development Authority. They described the project to convert state land to a golf course as an "illegal land grab."

Long time resident Mahinda Perera who owned 454 perches was offered Rs. 141,816 for his acquired property. A.P. Silva who owned 430 perches was given Rs. 134,319. Two of the residents -- Jayantha Perera and Merlyn Perera who each owned 220 perches received Rs. 68,721 each as compensation five years back .

The goodies on offer
Waters Edge Golf and Country Club is nestled in Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte two kilometres away from Colombo City limits and one kilometre away from the Parliament.

Designed to be the first of its kind in Sri Lanka, the four-storied Club House has an extent of 140,000 square feet and is equipped with ultra-modern amenities and world-class leisure-time activities.

The 18 hole golf course at Waters Edge is being built on approximately 200 acres of land, of which the majority is covered by waterways. A short distance from the Club House is a driving range with 20 bays, 300 metres in length and floodlit for practising at night. The Club provides the golfers with a choice of either practising off-turf or on artificial mats.

There will also be a chip and putt area with bunkers, a restaurant, and car parking facilities accessed directly from the main road. The state-of-the-art Fitness Centre and Gymnasium which covers an area of 500 square feet offers an exhilarating view of the Golf Course. This world-class Gymnasium is equipped with the latest training equipment.

The Aryana Spa extending over 4,500 square feet at Waters Edge will provide a wide array of massages, reflexology, and other treatment.

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