CMC to take tough action against SLTA

by Ranil Wijayapala

The Colombo Municipal Council will take appropriate action to collect Rs. 15 million or seize the property of the Sri Lanka Tennis Association given to them on lease basis or to seize it, as the Association has disregarded the notices served to them over the past 20 years to pay the due lease for the Council, the Treasurer of the Colombo Municipal Council K.D. Chithrapala told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

He said that the Colombo Municipal Council has passed a resolution in the Council to charge the due amount from the Tennis Association or seize it if the Association fail to abide by the notices to pay the due amount to the Council as the lease for the property.

The Sri Lanka Tennis Association is using nearly half acre land opposite Mayor's House as Tennis Courts.

He said that the land belongsing to the Colombo Municipal Council has been given on a lease agreement for the Sri Lanka Tennis Association in 1950's and the agreement they have reached with the CMC has lapsed 25 years later. According to the original agreement the Association has to pay Rs. 500 lease per month for the use of the land given them on lease basis.

"After the agreement lapsed the CMC has sent notices to the Association informing them that the lease for the property has been increased. But the Association has disregarded those notices for the past 20 years and had not made any payment to the Council as the lease", he added.

He said according to the current rates estimated by the Council the Association should pay Rs. 115,000 as monthly lease for the land they use.

"But they are trying to pay only Rs. 180,000 as arrears payment and the lease upto December this year to the Council based on the original agreement they reached with the CMC in 1950's", Chitrapala added.

He said that the Council has given them three months period in June this year to pay Rs. 1.5 million arrears due for the Council but trying to reduce the amount making excuses. "According to the financial regulations of the Council no such reduction can be made and they should pay what has been estimated by the Municipal Treasurer", he added.

Chitrapala said that the CMC is aware what the Sri Lanka Tennis Association is doing, but they should honour the rules and regulations of the Colombo Municipal Council as the Council is rendering all the services to the city through the money collected as rates other rents and leases.