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Probe on Kurunegala MC sends shockwaves through political parties

Published

4 years ago

2022/11/15

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Auditor General W.P.C. Wickremaratne on Sunday (13) said that it was the responsibility of relevant political authorities to act on the findings/queries made by the National Audit Office.

The AG said so in response to The Island query with regard to the appointment of retired Judicial Officer Lalith Ekanayake, by North Western Province Governor Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda to conduct inquiry into allegations of corruption against Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa Vitharana (SLPP).

Controversy erupted over the Kurunegala Municipal Council, amidst accusations the government intends to further postpone Local Government polls.

Karannagoda, who served as the Commander of the Navy (2005-2009) held several appointments after his retirement, including that of Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Tokyo before being named Governor of the North Western Province in Dec. 2021. The NW Province comprises the administrative districts of Kurunegala and Puttalam.

The AG stressed that their findings, pertaining to the Kurunegala MC administration, had been brought to the notice of the Parliament on more than one occasion. Local Government bodies come under Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, who is also the Minister in charge of Local Government ministry.

The Governor, who represents the executive, issued an extraordinary gazette notification on Nov. 09 requesting for a comprehensive report from the one-man commission within three months. Declining to comment on the developments, Karannagoda said that he would await the completion of the investigation conducted in terms of the Commission of Inquiry Act.

The appointment of one-man commission took place, consequent to inquiries conducted by three boards into findings by the National Audit Office.

The National Audit Office has queried the payment of nearly Rs 59,879,720 more than the required amount to a CCD Construction Company in respect of two projects undertaken by the Kurunegala MC. Pointing out that this excess payment had been in spite of the total value of the agreement being Rs. 232,122,585, though estimated at Rs 230,186,606.

The National Audit Office has altogether queried 27 projects undertaken by the Kurunegala MC. The excess payment of Rs 59,879,720 pertained to one of the 27 projects undertaken during Thushara Sanjeewa’s tenure as the Mayor.

The SLPP won the Kurunegala MC at the Feb 2018 Local Government polls. The Kurunegala Mayor was implicated in the demolition of the Buwaneka Hotel, building with a historic connection, on July 15, 2020. The Road Development Authority (RDA) demolished the building without obtaining approval from the Department of Archaeology.

Following the Governor taking action on disclosures made by the National Audit Office, an interested party had made representations to political higher-ups to thwart investigations and further actions. The Governor is empowered to suspend the Mayor pending the investigation undertaken by the one-man commission, The Island learns.

Responding to queries, Auditor General Wickremaratne explained the urgent need to have cohesive systems to take punitive measures against those found guilty of waste, corruption, irregularities and mismanagement. The disclosures pertaining to the Kurunegala MC shouldn’t be considered as an isolated incident, the AG said, adding that over the years they have submitted quite a number of reports to Parliament that hadn’t so far produced the desired results.

National Audit Office has also inquired into large scale frauds perpetrated by the Kurunegala MC, court cases, renting of shops at Kurunegala bus stand, procurement of excavator from the public sector, in spite of having one of its own, releasing of machinery belonging to Kurunegala MC to various contractors, releasing land belonging to the state and Kurunegala MC to outsiders, serious financial irregularities in the procurement of water meters outside laid down procedures and payment of Rs 329,450.00 for furniture that hadn’t been procured by the Mayor’s Office.

Investigations have revealed members of the government, the Opposition as well as officers of the Kurunegala MC brazenly sharing shops available at the Kurunegala Central market, main bus stand and Maligapitiya shopping complex outside laid down procedures. Shops meant for all had been secured through political influence and SLPP, SJB and SLFP members of Kurunegala MC had obtained shops, according to the National Audit Office. The report named all recipients, including Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa Vitharana (three shops) and Opposition Leader W. A. Wijayananda Wedisinghe (two shops).

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Implementation of water supply projects in small town and rural areas.

Published

7 hours ago

2026/06/3

Priyan

Access to safe drinking water for populations residing in small towns and rural areas of Sri Lanka has not yet been fully ensured, and this continues to pose a major challenge to the country’s social and economic development.

With a view to overcome this situation, a programme has been planned to provide clean drinking water to approximately 600,000 families living in semi-urban and rural areas through the implementation of 300 projects covering 50 small towns and rural areas.

The projects are aimed at establishing safe, reliable and sustainable drinking water supply systems, with water to be treated through modern purification technologies, including chlorination and filtration systems, in conformity with national and international drinking water standards.

Accordingly, having considered the resolution furnished by the Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the implementation of the proposed programme by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board and the National Community Water Supply Department during the period 2027–2029, subject to the conduct of a feasibility study on the proposed programme and inclusion in the Public Investment Programme based on its outcome.

News

Cabinet nod to submit Import and Export (Control) Regulations No. 04 of 2026 to Parliament for its concurrence

Published

7 hours ago

2026/06/3

Priyan

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which are chemical compounds widely used in refrigerators and air conditioning units, are being globally phased out under the Montreal Protocol due to their high potential for ozone layer depletion and global warming.

Sri Lanka has likewise committed to phasing out these chemical substances by the year 2030 in a stepwise manner. Accordingly,
regulations under the Import and Export (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969, namely the Import and Export (Control) Regulations No. 04 of 2026, published in Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2487/29 dated 2026-05-07, have been issued, prohibiting, with effect from 2026-06-06, the importation of equipment and appliances that operate solely on hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and prohibiting, with effect from 2028-01-01, the importation of compressors used as components in refrigeration systems of equipment and appliances that operate solely on hydrochlorofluorocarbons.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as
the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to submit the aforementioned Regulations to Parliament for its concurrence.

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Declaration of Elephant Migratory Corridors to minimize HEC in Monaragala and Hambantota districts

Published

7 hours ago

2026/06/3

Priyan

Wild elephants inhabit approximately two-thirds of the land area of Sri Lanka, and it has been identified that the rapid obstruction of elephant habitats and migratory corridors due to various development projects and human activities has directly contributed to the escalation of human–elephant conflict.

It has been recognised that, in order to mitigate such conflict to a certain extent, the protection of wild elephant habitats and migratory corridors must be undertaken as a matter of urgency.

The Department of Wildlife Conservation is currently engaged in identifying wild elephant migratory corridors in collaboration with relevant Divisional Secretaries, stakeholder agencies, and organisations.

Under the Wild Elephant Migratory Corridor Identification Programme in Monaragala District, the Wild Elephant Migratory Corridor from Handapanagala to Demodara
across Menik Ganga (River Menik) up to Yala National Park has been identified, and approval has been granted by the Monaragala District Coordinating Committee for that.

The Elephant Migratory Corridor from Yala National Park’s Zone VI -Lunugamvehera National Park to Udawalawe National Park has already been declared as the Wetahira Kanda Nature Reserve in 2002.

Within this area, five (05) licensed land plots have been identified, and these lands have not yet been developed.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Environment to take the following measures:

To declare, under the provisions of the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance, the elephant migratory corridor from Handapanagala in Monaragala District to Demodara across Menik Ganga up to Yala National Park as a sanctuary.

To provide alternative land outside the wildlife reserve area in lieu of the five (05) licensed land plots located within the Wetahira Kanda Nature Reserve area, and to re-declare the Wetahira Kanda Nature Reserve as an elephant migratory corridor.

To acquire, upon payment of compensation, land parcels containing buildings constructed in a manner that obstruct the Koholankala elephant corridor in the Hambantota District, and to declare the relevant area of the Hambantota Wild Elephant Management Reserve as a sanctuary.