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5th April 1998

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No private property to be taken over for Presidential complex at Madiwela, say UDA officials

Old problems and new site!

By Tharuka Dissanaike

Old problems and new site!

For the second time it has run into contro versy. The project to build a new and better residence for the head of state is once more in the news, not necessarily good news either.

When the first proposals came to light, last July, huge protests erupted. 29 houses were to be demolished and irate residents went to court in the wake of the acquisition notice, to save their houses and land. They won the day. The first site was abandoned when the President herself decreed that no private land should be acquired for the project.

"We had surveyed four sites and chosen the first, as the best location for the Head of State's official residence. But when these problems came up, the next best site was looked at. And this is the present one at Madiwela," Director, Special Projects at the Urban Development Authority (UDA) Nihal Fernando said.

Although rated second best, officials now say the new site offers certain benefits that the earlier one lacked- what's more, estimates say it will even cost less.

The new land demarcated is some 100 acres of marsh land which is within 944 acres of flood retention land owned by the UDA, and managed by the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation.

"One point we wish to make clear at the very outset," said Winston Rupasinghe, Project Co-ordinating Consultant, "is that we will not be acquiring any private land for the project."

The project site is located totally on low lying marsh, bordered at one end by the Diyawanna Oya and on the other side by residential high land.

The UDA does not envisage the building of a high wall around the site. Instead there will be the natural marshy buffer zone. "There would probably be something like a moat separating the Head of State's residence from private property."

Security considerations were utmost in the minds of the planners when choosing the site. The Ministry of Defence stipulated that there must be at least 150 metres from the Residence to any private property. At the first site the UDA barely managed to keep to the recommended distance. But here, the abundance of marsh makes the task easy. Now, according to the plan there is, at most points, 300 metres of marsh in between. Near the Iyamporuwa Temple the distance is slightly less, being just 250 metres.

As in the previous project, the Head of State's Residence will be an entity of its own, with private power supply and permanent security posts. The Presidential Secretariat too will be moved here. But the Secretariat will be located on the Thalawathugoda Road, opposite the present MPs' Hostel.

The house itself will be designed anew to suit the location. It will for the most part face the Diyawanna Oya. The marsh area around the house will be developed into landscaped water gardens. The main access to the Residence is through the rear of the Parliament. The Residence and Secretariat complex will have its own network of roads running through, several of which will link upto the Thalawathugoda road. "But these are to use as emergency exits. None of the existing roads will be used for the project," Rupasinghe said.

A concern that arose with the new site is that it takes away some 100 acres of flood retention land. Another is that the entire land is within the Kotte Sanctuary, declared under the Fauna and Flora Protection Act and under the purview of the Wildlife Department.

"This, is a problem," Rupasinghe concedes. "But we have tried to mitigate the effects." How? First, the UDA will not fill the entire property. Only nine acres- four for the Residence, three for the Secretariat and two for the service stations- will be earth filled. The rest will be left marsh.

Then, the Diyawanna Oya will be extended ( see Map). Thirdly, a new section of 200 acres flood retention marsh will be declared sanctuary.

"The Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation is quite satisfied with the mitigatory measures we are offering."

Rupasinghe said the new project estimate is relatively cheaper, at Rs 975 million, as opposed to the Rs 1.5 billion that was estimated earlier. "The lower cost is due to less extent of land requiring filling up," Rupasinghe said.

Since the project is rather large scale, environmental clearance has to be sought from the Central Environmental Authority. "It is not an ad hoc plan. We are now doing environmental studies which will be submitted for approval. The public will be given a chance to respond to the project," Fernando said.

It is obvious the UDA still needs to polish up their public relations attempts. Just as they attempted to introduce the project to the public, all hell broke loose and scare stories of land acquisition and relocation spread, in this very residential neighbourhood. Is the UDA carrying out some kind of public- friendly awareness campaign ? "Well, we have met the Priests at the Iyanporuwa Temple and explained facts to them. We do not know how things were misinterpreted. We will inform the MPs and local councillors. They are the representatives of the people, they can explain the project to the residents," Fernando said.

So what is the deadline for the Residence?

"Well, maybe around the year 2000 or so," said Rupasinghe. "There is no indecent hurry."

But, Fernando said, looking at the losses incurred due to traffic congestion- in man hours and fuel- because of the number of road blocks and diversions in Colombo, sooner would be for the better.


Will we be prisoners in our homes?

By Chamintha Tillekeratne

Regardless of assur ances from the government that there will be no land acquisition to accommodate the Presidential Complex in Madiwela, residents are not prepared to take a chance. Their main worry is that their right to a peaceful living will be restricted.

Siri Samarasinghe, who will be the immediate neighbour to the President if the Complex is built said he is not willing to give up his quiet life.

"We suffered so much when the Independence celebrations took place in front of the Parliament last month. We were harassed so much by the security. We were not allowed to move about as we pleased. If we wished to go to Colombo we had to go past several check points. So one can just imagine what the situation would be if the President comes here," he said.

Ven. Soratha TheraVen. Omatte Soratha, Chief Priest of the Iyamporuwa temple said the people will not be able to go to and from the temple as they please if the complex comes there.

"Today they have no restrictions to visit the temple. Even at twelve midnight they can come without a problem. Especially when there is a religious event taking place. Once the President comes here we will get orders to stay away from the area after 6p.m. or something like that. This we do not want," Ven.Soratha Thero said.

Karunaratna Sigera, another resident and active member of the "Madiwela Surekime Sanvidanaya" said, "These people have a right to a life free of restrictions. A high security zone as declared around the Presidential residence in Colombo would be a violation of their fundamental rights."

Most people are afraid they will not be able to get out of their homes, invite guests without having to turn in their I.D. cards and car numbers, go for an early morning walk or even take photographs of the birds who visit the area .In other words, they are afraid that they will be prisoners in their own homes.

"Is this why we decided to move away from the busy life of Colombo and put our hard earned money to a dream house in Madiwela? was the question that seemed to be on everyone's lips.

Their fears also centre around the bird sanctuary for which Kotte is popular. "We have carefully selected land giving emphasis to the view. When the complex comes up all we will see is a big building surrounded by army personnel-a view we do not wish to see," said most of the residents.

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