Action to hand over 177 lands to public in Sampoor: District Secretary

An official event to release 117 acre lands which were under the Navy in Sampur area in Trincomalee and hand them over to the public will be held at Sampur on 25th Friday at 10.00 a.m., said the Trincomalee Govern Agent and District Secretary, A.A.Pushpakumara.

546 families are to be resettled in the land area to be released now, and Sampur Maha Vidyalaya is also located within the area to be released.

Several political VIPs and State High Officials including the Leader of the Opposition R.Sampanthan, Minister of Prison reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement, and Hindu Affairs, D.M.Swaminathan,Gover of Eastern Province Ostin Fernando, The Chief Minister of Eastern Province, Seinulabdeen Naseer Ahmed are scheduled to participate in this event to hand over the Land to people.

This land release is being done as per a decision taken in the National Executive Committee headed by the President Maithripala Sirisena, regarding lands that are preventing the resettlement of people, back to them on 2006-04-26th a suicide attack was made on the then Commander of the Army, Sarath Fonseka.

The counter attack fell on Sampur in Trincomalee.

Because of the confrontation between the Armed Forces and LTTE , around 2,000 families of the Sampur had to leave their residences then.

These deserted residential lands and paddy fields  were ear marked for Special Economic Zone , High Security Zone and Indian Thermal Power Station during Mahindha regime and acquired through declaration in special Gazette. Their life of tribulation is continuing to date.

Sampur is a naturally beautiful village East of Muthur in Trincomalee District. It is bounded on the east by Sea of Bengal and the accompanying resources and the other areas are fertile agricultural lands.

The people of Sampur area engaged in activities like fasting protest, street blocking protests night prayers with lighted flames, before this for their speedy resettlement.

In the first phase, 818 acres ear marked for Investment Promotion Zone were released. Accordingly, 207 families were resettled in this first phase.

Due to the Navy Training camp in this area, the resettlement of 69% of the families had not been undertaken. The Navy Camp occupies 237 acre land.