Sri Lanka: Kankesanthurai Port To Be Developed
Sri Lanka’s Co-Cabinet Spokesperson, Plantation Industries and Export Agriculture Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said that the Government has decided to implement an accelerated development project to upgrade the Kankesanthurai (KKS) Harbour as a main commercial port.
Speaking at the weekly Cabinet briefing at the Government Information Department Auditorium the minister added that accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal submitted by Ports and Shipping Minister Johnston Fernando to acquire 50 acres of land adjoining the Kankasanthurail harbour for the Sri Lanka Port Authority.
Minister Pathirana further said that the cabinet approval has been granted to acquire 15 acres of public land and 35 acres of privately-owned land for this purpose. Privately-owned land will be acquired by paying compensation under the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act.
“With the development of this port people in the North would be able to easily distribute their farming, livestock and fisheries products island wide,” said the Minister.
People around whole area of Kankesanthurai were uprooted by the war and they were never allowed to return. All villages (100% Tamil) are under the occupation of Sri Lankan Armed forces (100% Sinhalese). It looks like the govt is planning to settle Sinhalese in these areas probably the soldiers, in the guise of “development”.