Ambalangoda: Although the Treasury had given Rs. 8 lakhs per year, since 2007, to a private company to maintain the UC electrical system it had not done so and misappropriated that money amounting to about 2 million rupees, it was alleged.

"The UC had maintained the electrical system from its own funds. This company is doing a great crime to the people by not using that money for the said purpose. It seemed that the company is working with motive of bringing disrepute to the government," Ambalangoda UC Chairman M. W. Aruna Pradeep charged when presiding over the monthly meeting.

He levelled this charge after tabling a letter sent by the Chairman of the company asking the UC to stop fixing additional street bulbs hereafter and to pay for the additional bulbs fixed by the UC.

Members Kamal Wallage, Berty Ranasuriya, Janith Wickramatillake, Chandradasa Naiduwawadu, Anura Kithsiri, Sarath Srilal de Silva and Vice Chairman, Rahula Lalithawickrema also spoke against the company for not maintaining the electrical system despite getting allocations from the Treasury.

When a letter from the traders of the Polwatte Shopping Complex was tabled requesting the UC to deduct the taxes increased by 300% on their shops, the Chairman said that it was not possible and said that the traders should be able to maintain the town in which they do business and that all developed towns in the country had been made to do so, not by the local bodies but by the traders themselves.

The UC unanimously adopted a motion tabled by the sole JVP member Chandradasa Naiduwadu to the effect that the government should be sympathetic to the cinnamon growers who are undergoing hardship and lend a helping hand in various ways to maintain their gardens as the cinnamon industry is a source of great benefit not only to the owners but also to the State.

The UC also decided without a division to give the crematorium to the clergy free of charge in the future when the opposition leader, J. W. Jayantha revealed that a head priest at Delduwa monastery had been cremated at the UC crematorium, subsequent to a charge of Rs. 7,500/- which is the amount charged from those living outside the UC limits