Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena says racketeers will not be allowed to destroy the country’s land.
Speaking during a discussion the President said the ownership of lands should be vested with the common people while prompt steps must be taken to formulate a land based policy in the near future.
President Sirisena gave these instructions at a meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday on the amendment of the Land Act.
The President said the main objective of a responsible government should be to give ownership of the land to innocent farmers in the country and not to strengthen the affluent or the racketeers when formulating rules and regulations imposed on land.
He said there should also be legislation on land use in a country and relevant conditions should not be removed under the new amendments.
The President also explained the corruption that has occurred due to the transfer of land authority to the Pradeshiya Sabhas.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ministers Rajitha Senaratne, P. Harrison, Gayantha Karunatilaka, Daya Gamage and other government officials were present at the discussion.
