Sports federation opposes illegal settlement on Trinco State land

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 March 2005, 14:50 GMT]
Federation of Trincomalee District Sports Associations (FTDSA) Friday requested the Government of Sri Lanka not to allow any illegal settlement on the Trincomalee Urban Council esplanade, which is being used by members of all three communities for the development of sports activities in the east port town, sources said.

The statement issued by the FTDSA states that the site selected by a group of persons for setting up of an illegal settlement has been already been earmarked for the construction of a swimming pool by a committee formed by the Presidential Secretariat on the instruction of Sri Lanka's President and also in collaboration with the Urban Council and North East Provincial Ministry for Education, Cultural Affairs and Sports.

Provincial sports meets and other sports activities are generally held in the Urban Council (UC) esplanade.

North East Governor Mr.Tyronne Fernando recently inspected the esplanade accompanied by UC Secretary and provincial sports officials and formulated a plan to develop the stadium and the esplanade for future sports activities. In these circumstances FTDSA is urging the government that it should take firm steps to safeguard the esplanade from being encroached by a group of persons, the statement said.

The FTDSA issued this statement following the abortive attempt by a group of JVP cadres to set up an illegal Sinhala settlement on Thursday. The Police Thursday stopped the illegal construction of houses on a portion of the esplanade following protests by the people of the town who blocked roads and burnt tyres.

Four container loads of building materials brought to the site by JVP cadres were removed Thursday evening on the orders of the Police.