News

Colombo Uni. Muttiah Road Hostel to make way for ‘green patch’ in Slave Island

Published

4 years ago

2020/11/22

Sahan Weerasooriya

UDA awaits Cabinet approval for acquisition

by SURESH PERERA

Amidst protests by the Arts Faculty Teachers’ Association, the Colombo University’s Muttiah Road Hostel for Women and Differently-abled Students, is expected to be acquired to covert the area into what a senior Urban Development Authority (UDA) official described as a “green patch”.

“We have already submitted a proposal to the Cabinet to take over the 2.5 acre land, where the Muttiah Road hostel is situated, in terms of our plans to carve out a ‘green zone’ in Slave Island”, says UDA Director-General, N. P. K. Ranaweera.

Any form of development such as the construction of buildings will not be permitted within the area as what is envisaged is to create a ‘green patch’ encompassing the Beira Lake, the land where the hostel now stands and the Muttiah playground, he noted.

The prime property in question belongs to the government and was given to the Colombo University for hostel accommodation, a senior UDA official in charge of the subject, said.

“There was no payment involved as the Colombo University is also a government institution”, he clarified.

Expressing concern over the move to ‘seize’ the property, the Arts Faculty Teachers’ Association – Colombo University (AFTA-CU), the official trade union of the Faculty of Arts, in a letter to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, said the Muttiah Road complex houses more than 550 female students, including differently-abled students, most of whom are from the Faculty of Arts.

As one of the eight permanent hostels of the University of Colombo, its convenient location, capacity to accommodate a considerable number of students, close proximity to the faculty and the safety of the locale makes it an ideal place of residence for students, the AFTA-CU outlined.

“We have already earmarked a two-acre land at Orugodawatte to build a new hostel for the students”, the Director-General said.

On the aspect of convenience as Muttiah Road is centrally located within the city for the students to travel to university, he remarked, “Orugodawatte is not far away for them to travel to Colombo. In many countries, students travel around 15 kilometres to attend campus. In developed countries, most of them cycle the distance”.

The new Orugodawatte hostel plan was endorsed by the University Grants Commission (UGC), Ranaweera continued. “We are awaiting Cabinet approval to go ahead with implementing the project”.

The hostel has also been recently renovated by the University of Colombo to provide better access to the differently-abled students. The hostel facilities serve the neediest students from rural areas and are a vital resource that ensures their uninterrupted education, the AFTA-CU further said in its letter to the premier.

The University of Colombo does not have adequate hostels and is in the process of enhancing the facilities. In light of the government’s plans to increase the annual intake of students to all state universities, this move that will result in curtailing the limited resources available to the university seems counter-intuitive, it said.

Any move to ‘seize’ the property immediately, will not only deprive the needy students of a chance to better education but also endangers their safety amidst the pandemic which makes finding alternative housing nearly impossible, it added.

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Heat index is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Monaragala, Hambantota, Jaffna, Mullaittivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Kurunegala districts

Published

12 hours ago

2025/04/27

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. 26 April 2025, valid for 27 April 2025.

The public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Monaragala, Hambantota, Jaffna, Mullaittivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Kurunegala districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED

Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated. Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

Latest News

Minister of Foreign Affairs pays his last respects to Pope Francis

Published

13 hours ago

2025/04/27

Priyan

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath represented Sri Lanka at the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday [26]

News

RW to visit CIABOC on Monday

Published

14 hours ago

2025/04/27

Thilina Walpola

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe will appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) tomorrow (28) over the statement he had made on MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, his lawyers have informed the Commission.

Accordingly, the former President will appear before the commission at 9.30am on Monday.

Wickremesinghe was initially summoned by the Commission to CIABOC on April 17 in relation to a statement he had made about the corruption case filed against NDF (gas cylinder) MP Dassanayake.

In response to the previous summons, Wickremesinghe had indicated that he is prepared to appear before the commission but requested a different date citing that his lawyers will not be available in Colombo during the New Year holiday period.

Accordingly, a new was provided and Wickremesinghe requested to appear before the commission at 09.30 a.m. on Thursday (April 25).On April 7, Wickremesinghe had said that MP Dassanayake withdrew the fixed deposits belonging to the Uva Provincial Council, over which he is now facing corruption charges, in accordance with a circular issued during Wickremesingher’s tenure as Prime Minister.

The former President questioned whether the MP’s arrest over the matter was in response to Dassanayake’s vocal criticism of the government in parliament.

The sitting MP is currently in remand custody for allegedly misappropriating a sum of Rs. 1 million of the Uva Provincial Council in 2016.

He was taken into custody on March 27, over three separate corruption-related cases.

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court previously granted bail in the cases filed against him but he remains in remand custody due to an order issued by the Badulla Magistrate’s Court.

According to the CIABOC, Dassanayake had solicited funds from three state banks, claiming they were intended to provide bags for preschool children in the province.

Two banks complied, granting him Rs. 1 million and Rs. 2.5 million, which were later transferred to his foundation account.

However, when a third bank refused to provide funds, Dassanayake reportedly retaliated by withdrawing the Uva Provincial Council’s fixed deposits from that institution.The CIABOC filed a case against the MP, citing the government incurred a financial loss of Rs. 17.3 million due to his actions.