NGJA to auction gem lands

Illegal gemming is taking place in several plantation company-owned estates, according to the National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA). Investigations by the Authority revealed that gem deposits are found in abundance in these estates.

In view of this the NGJA has successfully negotiated with heads of plantation companies to auction gem lands of their estates for gemming, said NGJA Chairman Hasitha Tillekeratne.

He was addressing a meeting attended by representatives of 17 leading Plantation Companies at the authority’s Colombo Office recently. He said that although Plantation Companies owned hundreds of acres of land identified as suitable lands for gemming only a small extent of it had been auctioned for gem prospecting.

However, according to the NGJA Chairman, Plantation Companies faced certain problems in releasing estate lands for auctioning. The meeting had helped to resolve some of these issues.

National Gem and Jewellery Authority’s Senior Operations Manager K. P. S. Dahamsondage said that more gem deposits need to be discovered and added to the country’s national income-generation effort. This would also provide greater employment opportunities in the gem industry, he said.

At the meeting the attention of the heads of Plantation Companies was drawn to the areas identified as suitable for gemming on plantations.

They were also informed that the proceeds realised through the auction of gemming lands would be shared between the NGJA and the Plantation Companies according to a 60 per cent and 40 per cent ratio.

It was also agreed to appoint a representative of the Plantation Companies to the Committee which decides on the minimum bid at auctions held after the release of plantation lands. Auctioning would not take place immediately after the plots suitable for gemming are released.