A southern company is setting up an illegal saltern in Serukkan area in Uruthirapuram of Kilinochchi District.
MP, Sritharan has visited the area on complaints from the public. The saltern that is being constructed is being constructed without any permission from Divisional Secretary, Pradeshiya Sabha and the District Secretary. Several thousand acres of paddy fields will be affected by the construction of the Saltern in the said area.
The setting up of the Saltern will render lands and drinking water saline and in addition to lands and drinking water the lives and livelihoods of around 5,000 people of Serukkan, Periya Paranthan, Salampan, Neevil, Porrikkadavai, Uruthirapuram, Sivanagar and several other villages, will destroyed.
Although there exist already a saltern at Kurinchatheevu, Eliphantpass, which famous for its white salt, this saltern is being unnecessarily setup here.
The people currently working here, on being questioned said that a Jaffna District National list MP of SLFP came there with some persons and held a discussion. On his promise of providing employment to 35 persons, they had come to work there.
