3 member team to probe into status of LRC land

By Chathuri Dissanayake

A three-member committee appointed by the President has been formed to investigate the present state of 988,000 acres of land originally vested in the Land Reforms Commission (LRC) under the Land Reforms Act.

The subcommittee comprises Ministers Dew Gunasekara, Chamal Rajapaksa, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Jeewan Kumaratunga.
“The committee will investigate the present status of the land which has been vested in the Government. We are looking into issues such as whether the land is still under the Commission or if it has been handed over to other authorities.

“We will submit a full report afterwards,” Minister Gunasekara said. The committee is also expected to report on the present status of the compensation payments for the lands that have been acquired by the Government under the Lands Reform Act.

The committee is also expected to present its recommendations on the issues of compensation and unauthorised occupation of land owned by the Commission. It is reported that most of the land acquired under the Act has been handed over to the State Plantations Corporation.