by Dilanthi Jayamanne
The Colombo Municipal Council Mayor, Omar Kamil said he had issued a notice to the Director General of the Urban Development Authority, W. A. Siriwardena that only the council had authority to remove unauthorised structures in the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area. "Only the CMC has legal authority to remove unauthorised structures constructed on lands belonging to the Municipality."

The Mayor addressing a press gathering said that he wished to inform the general public, specially those living in areas belonging to the CMC about this notice which he had sent to the Director General of the UDA on April 26.

He said that the Inspector General of Police Lucky Kodituwakku too had received a copy of this notice yesterday.

The Mayor said that should the UDA overlook the notice issued by the CMC and venture to remove any unauthorised structure in the future, the occupants of those buildings could report it to the police and take legal action against the UDA.

He stressed that no demolition should be carried out without the permission of the local government. "In Colombo it is the CMC," which has the powers.

The UDA which had demolished some of the shops belonging to the CMC tax-payers in Pettah, Bodhiraja Mawatha and Gas Works Street Junction refused to stop these demolitions when the Mayor asked them to put an end to them. "We were informed that the demolitions could not be stopped pending the permission of the Minister of Urban Development and Public Utilities, Mangala Samaraweera.

"We took this stand before more people lost their livelihood and refuge," Mayor Kamil said.

He added that Minister Samaraweera had made a promise to give alternative accommodation for those who lost their businesses during the past few months owing to the demolition of unauthorised structures. "The government had made several promises in the past and failed to uphold them. The minister should not wait till December to fulfil this promise. He could give those businessmen the Chalmer’s Granany land in Fort. The land has seventeen acres on which these vendors and shop owners could eke out their living.

Mayor Kamil said that the CMC hoped to carry out a survey to a acertain the number of shops thus demolished during the past few months.