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Queries
over state land for SLFP building A controversy has arisen over the lease arrangement, The Sunday Times learns. The land has been obtained under a long-term leasing arrangement from the Urban Development Authority. UDA officials said the land was given strictly in accordance with government regulations and in keeping with the land alienation laws. But opposition sources questioned the deal because the present government had imposed a moratorium on all state land transfers and it had accused the ousted UNF regime of executing questionable deals involving state land. The government recently announced that it was taking steps to annul more than 15 land transfers that took place during the previous regime. The UDA officials said the land deal with the SLFP was made in 1998 during the previous PA regime and the UDA board had approved the long-term lease. They said this was not the first time prime commercial land had been obtained by a ruling party to set up offices and pointed out that during President Premadasa's regime, prime land in Hulftsdorp had been leased out to the UNP, which had still not made the payments for it. The two-storey building on 240 perches of land (1 Acre, 1 R and 38 perches) in Battaramulla will house a range of facilities including an auditorium running into two levels, a café, offices for SLFP officials, a library, IT department, a general lobby, printing press, conference rooms, VIP lobby, Parking lot, Youth League and Women's Association offices and a committee room. The building is to be completed within 14 months at a cost of Rs. 200 million. The PA government has been very critical of the alleged misuse of public property by the UNP and has taken moves to cancel about 15 land deeds issued during the period. |
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