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| Sunday, 6 November 2005 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Blocking out and selling land a threat to environment by Don Asoka Wijewardena Most land auctioneers continue to block out and sell lands, completely ignoring the condominium concept. There will be a severe dearth of lands in urban areas in the future due to lack of lands for human habitation, said Condominium Management Authority (CMA) General Manager Athula Wimalaratne in an interview with the Sunday Observer. Wimalaratne said that the CMA had encountered a number of environmental problems emanating from inefficient blocking out and selling of lands. Improper drainage and water systems and poorly designed roads would pose many problems ecologically when systematic housing development and infrastructure facilities were ignored. Wimalaratne also said that in most of the blocked out lands, existing trees and vegetation were entirely removed affecting the ecological system of the area and such areas would not give eco-friendly living styles to people for another decade. Most auctioneers had been creating environmental destruction, offering bare lands to prospective purchasers. When asked about the possible alternative to this practice,Wimalaratne explained that in properly designed projects with a condominium concept, more eco-friendly items could be reserved with their inherent nature and added that property developers or auctioneers were not supposed to destroy the existing natural endowments irresponsibly. He called upon all auctioneers to co-ordinate with developers to develop or redevelop land or carry out any of the objectives of the CMA as stated in the Common Amenities Board (Condominium Management Authority) Amendment Act, No. 24 of 2003. Referring to irresponsible auctioneering, Wimalaratne said that most auctioneers were also found to be selling lands without sufficient infrastructure facilities and this practice was a traditional one. The CMA wished to advise these land auctioneers and organisations to develop their properties as condominium properties before selling and added that in this practice there was the advantage of getting maximum use of available land space in urban areas with efficient and effective infrastructure arrangements. Wimalaratne also said that in the process it could ensure to allocate more housing units and more advanced infrastructure facilities to satisfy end users. It was a more environmental and living friendly aspect as one could provide the most facilities as common amenities and common elements. "It is very difficult for us to articulate improved condominium attitudes in people selling traditional land as they are unaware of the present market," he said. Referring to the numerous advantages of condominium living, Wimalaratne explained that condominium living would ensure uninterrupted water supply with overhead tanks, uninterrupted electricity supply with generators, advanced recreational facilities, security arrangements, common satellite antennae systems with cost-effective prices, advanced solid and liquid waste disposal system, cost-effective telecommunication system, anti-ligthning system, daycare services, common medical centre, restaurants and supermarkets and an area for prayers for different religious denominations. |
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