Nuwara-Eliya estate in turmoil over workers demand for land

Police deployed outside threatened estate superintendent’s bungalow

Text and pic by Nalaka Ratnayaka, our Nuwara-Eliya corr.

Police, backed by the Special Task Force (STF) personnel, were deployed over the last weekend at Kandapola, Nuwara-Eliya after a group of estate workers, led by CWC lawmaker Marudapandi Rameshwaran, and Chairman of the Nuwara-Eliya Pradeshiya Sabha, T. Welu, allegedly threatened the Superintendent of Kandapola Park estate, Ajith Peiris, and his wife.

The Uda Pussallawa Plantation Company has been under pressure to release a part of the estate land for the construction of 306 housing units, under Indian-sponsored project. The company has offered uncultivated land for building 50 more houses in addition to those partially built structures, but workers demand 10 perches each.

MP Rameshwaran told The Island that the estate superintendent had disconnected the line when he tried to make inquiries about the issue. When a second call was made, someone had spoken to him, in a rude manner, the MP said, adding that he had not threatened anyone.

Welu also denied the allegation that he had issued threats. He said he had only expressed his views on the dispute.

The company said that a complaint would be lodged with the police.