The Mt. Lavinia Resident’s Association (MLRA) carried out a poster campaign earlier this week against corrupt officials calling for a commission to probe illegal constructions in their municipality. “We want to fight this rampant corruption in the Dehiwela – Mt. Lavinia municipality. We also want to make buyers aware of what they are getting into [...]

Business Times

MLRA on poster campaign to combat “high rise” corruption

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The Mt. Lavinia Resident’s Association (MLRA) carried out a poster campaign earlier this week against corrupt officials calling for a commission to probe illegal constructions in their municipality.

“We want to fight this rampant corruption in the Dehiwela – Mt. Lavinia municipality. We also want to make buyers aware of what they are getting into when purchasing apartments,” a MLRA member told the Business Times.

He noted that most residents are facing a myriad of issues owing to high-rises on narrow roads, apartment builders not adhering to the standards, traffic congestion on these roads, noise pollution and general discomfort. “It’s beginning to take its toll on these residents,” the member said. He noted that the residents, under the guidance of the MLRA took a strong stance to be organised as they had enough.

The poster, in Sinhala calls for a commission of investigation to probe illegal high rises. It also calls for Certificates of Confirmations issued to complexes contravening Urban Development Authority (UDA) building regulations to be invalid. Section 13 of UDA Regulations insist submission of detailed structural plans together with design calculations, results of soil tests, soil bearing capacity, type of foundations, type of piles, method of pile drilling and machinery to be used for piling work. However, it is learnt that many building permits were approved without any of this information.

The poster also calls on the authorities to prosecute officials who approved illegal high rises. The residents also want compensation for damages caused by such buildings.

The Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia Municipality has more than 4,000 unauthorised structures. Officials say that those in power during the last regime had made billions during their tenure with such construction approvals.

The MLRA member said that potential buyers are kindly advised to be cautious when buying a condominium property in Mount Lavinia and Dehiwela to make sure that the condominium property they intend to purchase, is not an illegal and/or unauthorised construction, has necessary clearance from the relevant authorities such as Urban Development Authority and/or the Condominium Management Authority and/or local authority etc. “And it’s important to double check how accurate these approvals are.”

The amount of illegal construction is daunting, he said noting that UDA in the name of development is actually causing “Urban Destruction.” “If the residents don’t stand up to the UDA and the municipal council, we are going to end up with a “destroyed city” – polluted, heated, unhygienic etc.”

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