Jaffna lands acquired for expansion

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

Most of the lands in Palali and Kankesanthurai areas in the Jaffna High Security Zone that will be legally acquired in the near future, for the expansion of the Palali Airport and the Kankesanthurai Harbour, according to the Security Forces Commander (Jaffna) Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe.

Land acquisition is in progress under the supervision of the District Secretary, Divisional secretaries and officials of the Land Ministry, he said. "These officials paid a site visit and held discussions. There is a special representative to look into these matters," Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said.

"More than 50 percent of the High Security Zone are government owned lands which were military, Navy and Air force camps and several public institutes," Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said.

The Sri Lanka Army will shift most of its brigades and battalions in the Northern peninsula to the already reduced High Security Zone and will be based in the Palali military cantonment, the Maj. Gen. said. Questioned as to whether there is a risk in removing Army personnel in large numbers considering traces of certain pro LTTE cronies, Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said, "We are concerned about security."

"I saw what happened in 1980 in Jaffna when we had only four camps. It was a tough journey for all of us for thirty years. We will maintain our strategic forces in certain areas," he said.