Text and Photographs – Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe

“We donated our lands to the Thermal Power Station. But the Government cheated us,”
 lamented the crowd who were gathered near the main entrance of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant that was being constructed, in the scorching sun holding their children.

In March last year, the Government, relocated residents from the Naarakkaliya and Paniadiya areas in order to construct the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant. They acquired close to 300 houses and as a result they had to evict 68 families living in this area.

These people who were thus evicted, had to be resettled in a housing scheme constructed in the Maampuriya, Nirmalapura areas, through the intervention of the Minister of Power and Energy, John Seneviratne..

The Electricity Board said the cost of each house was Rs.1.2 million. These houses consist of a living room, two bed rooms, kitchen and a toilet each. In addition, a well was also constructed on the land which was 20 perches in extent.

Likewise, every house was supplied with electricity. And each house was promised a television set and electrical home appliances. These people who were deprived of their lands, were given a two acre land per family in an area in close proximity to Nirmalapura. However, the walls of the houses have begun to crack and the doors and windows are in a dilapidated condition.

At the same time, the officers in charge of this housing scheme had to replace the timber used for the roof of the houses with new timber as they were infected with termites.

Even the furniture provided has been built using a low quality timber and has been attacked by termites as well.

Last weekend when residents arrived to clear their lands, men who arrived in vans assaulted them and warned them not to return claiming ownership of such lands.

Subsequently, they began their protests at the front of the Norochcholai coal power plant. As the approach road in front of the entrance to the Coal Power
Station was blocked for about 3 hours, vehicles entering and leaving the Power Station premises were unable to move.

Finally, the Officer-in-Charge of the Kalpitiya Police Station, Inspector Lakshman Ranwala Arachchi arrived at this location and following a discussion arrived at an agreement.

GroundView also caught up with some of the areas residents who came out to protest.

Secretary of the Community Development Society of Daluwa, Maampuriya, Nirmalapura, Lourdhu Maatha –  Lionel Warnakulasuriya

“We moved out, losing all our houses and land allowing the Power Station to be constructed believing that the Government will provide us with all facilities. However the houses that were constructed for us are in a very bad state.

Although we informed the authorities of the shortcomings of the houses, we have not yet received any positive response,” he says.

Anthony Murdhas

“The Power Station acquired, more than 02 acres of my land with more than 200 coconut trees I had. But we received a land with only mountains of sand. It will cost more than two hundred thousand rupees to bulldoze the land. I decided to start clearing the land last week when a group of persons who arrived in a van, pulled me away and assaulted me. We face uncertain situation now,” he said.

Ms. Kaleyivani

“We have not received any of the facilities that we were told would be given to us. In addition, the beds, tables and chairs that were given are infested with weevils. Its because the authorities are cheating us that we decided to protest at the Power Plant,” she said.

Ms. P. Lalitha

 “Although we lived at Naarakkaliya in cadjan thatched houses, we were happy. Today, when it rains, our houses get wet, as if we have been caught in a flood. The tiles that have been fixed to the roof are poor and the rain seeps in. In addition, the walls of the houses are cracked,” she says.

Ms. R. Nageshwari

“There is no place to even follow our religious beliefs, in this housing scheme. So, we take part in religious activities in a small place constructed out of cadjan,” she, says.

Kalpitiya District Secretary, M.H.M. Riyaldeen expressing his views on the situation said, “The lands that were given to these Nirmalapura residents belong to two District Secretariat divisions. That is, Kalpitiya, Mundalama. We have paid compensation for the land belonging to Kalpitiya and finalised the acquisition. However, we have not yet finalized the payment of compensation for the land at Mundalama. I feel that the previous owners of these lands, would have threatened the Nirmalapura residents. We sort out this matter regarding the land,” he said.

Electricity Board Engineer in charge of the housing schemes construction, Mr. Bamunawala, accepted the fact that there were many shortcomings in the housing project and said higher officials should be contacted for a comment.