Kotte to get stadium amidst MC turmoil
By Santhush Fernando
The Kotte Chandra Silva Stadium is to be made an International Stadium, but insiders say the procedure was not legal as the Municipal Council was not duly consulted amidst a series of controversial actions of the Council.

The opposition alleges that the former Mayor, Ranjith Cooray, without a resolution being passed, had handed over the grounds to build a complex for the Mahapola Trust Fund. PA member Kapila Munindradasa said the procedures of the hand over have not been revealed and that the ruling party always evaded answering questions related to the matter.

He said they had closed down the stadium, had begun building work, without the permission of the Municipal Commissioner. The Local Government Commissioner too had ruled these actions as illegal. He said that earlier too the ruling party had given eighty per cent of the area in a children's playground in Bandaranaikepura in like manner.

The opposition also alleged that a Colombo district Cabinet Minister was strongly influencing the decisions taken by the Kotte MC.

In a controversial move, former Mayor Mr. Ranjith Cooray sent in his resignation while on a trip to Canada. Mr. Munindradasa said the new Mayor too was following suit and claimed he had given two rooms in community buildings of Baddegana and Obeysekarapura to two dispensaries operated by private practitioners.

He said although these are supposed to be "free", a fee of Rs. 100 is to be charged from every patient. He said even though the cleaning services were given to a private company and the MC has to bear a staggering Rs. 6 to 7 lakhs every month, they are not carried out properly.

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