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Mayor
Senanayake on Warpath Against Developer Wijesena
Kandy Mayor Kesara Senanayake claims that Mr. Thusitha Wijesena
who is building Kandy's largest commercial building in the city
centre is violating building regulations of the Council. He
made this allegation at the last meeting of the KMC in response
to a question that the JVP Councilor Anura Gonawela raised concerning
what Mr. Gonawela described as some “unauthorized”
constructions and acts of commission and omission on the part
of the builder in the new complex that is nearing completion.
The mayor and the councilors are complaining mainly about two
issues. The first concerns the sewerage system for the building.
Mr. Wijesena has acquired the land on which the sewerage pits
of the Queen's Hotel and the Hatton National Bank building were
located. That land has been absorbed into the new building complex.
It is alleged that the sewerage from the hotel and the bank
building now flow to the already polluted Meda Ela. Mr. Wijesena
responding to his critics told this newspaper that he plans
to install a modern sewerage system for his complex.
The second concern of the mayor and the council is in regard
to the skywalk linking the new KMC multi storey car park and
Mr. Wijesena's new building. The KMC claims that it never approved
such a structure. Mr. Wijesena welcomes the skywalk but points
out that it was built not by him but by the KMC itself under
the car park project.
When The Kandy News asked the Chief Project Engineer responsible
for the car park construction Mr. A. V. S. Weerasinghe he admitted
that KMC permission was not sought for the construction of the
skywalk. He also conceded that it was not on the plan for the
car park the KMC approved. “However, the skywalk is included
in the plan subsequently presented for the contract and in financial
provisions made for the building. Since the KMC is the client
I did not think that it was essential to get permission from
the KMC for the construction of the skywalk” he said.
Mr. Weerasinghe admitted that he disregarded the instructions
of the KMC to stop construction of the skywalk. He said that
when such instructions were received the project had already
incurred a substantial cost for it and it was more prudent to
complete it. He claimed that his supervising director Mr. Gamini
Alawattegama had approved the construction.
Several municipal councilors who expressed their opinion said
that they had no objection to the building. Many expressed support
for the project that would bring more business and jobs to the
town. But they were concerned that municipal laws were being
disregarded in the construction.
Mayor Senanayake declared that he would not issue the Certificate
of Conformation that every commercial building in the town must
obtain from the KMC before it could be occupied.
Mr. Wijesena is no stranger to controversy. Some months ago
he was accused of trying to raise his building above the height
of the Maligawa that is not permitted in Kandy. When The Kandy
News asked Mr. Wijesena to respond to his critics, he declined
to do so beyond the brief comment that he made over the telephone
that we have reported above. He said that he would reply to
the mayor on a later date.
The
Kandy News Senior Reporter, Sarath Doolwela contributed to this
article.
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