Compensation demanded for SLA's use of estate produce

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 October 2003, 16:31 GMT]
Owners of coconut estates in High Security Zones (HSZ) in Thenmaradchi Jaffna, through the Northern Province Coconut Estate Owners Association (NPCEOA), requested the Government of Sri Lanka to pay compensation for the loss of trees used to construct SLA bunkers and for the revenue lost due to the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers' use of estate produce, sources said.

The request was made at the conference held recently at Kodikamam MPCS building in the presence of the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Coconut Development Board Mr.Linchon Fernando and assistant manager Mr.Rajapakse.

NPCEOA President Mr. A.Nallathamby, Secretary Mr.S.Pathmanathan, Northern Province Coconut Development Assistant Commissioner Mr.S.Sivasanthiran and coconut development officers Mr.T.Mahalingam and Mr.J.Satyendra were also present, sources said.

NPCEOA Secretary Mr.Pathmanathan said about eighteen thousand-coconut trees had been felled by the SLA to construct bunkers. Majority of the coconut trees in Thenmaradchchi division had been located inside the high security zone.

He added that for more than thirteen years they were not getting any income from their coconut trees. He appealed to the Coconut Development Board Chairman and his officials to formulate a scheme to pay compensation to the owners of the coconut estates and also to provide subsidy to launch a replanting project once the estates located in the HSZ are released to their owners, sources said.

CDB Chairman promised to recommend to the government to pay compensation for the destroyed trees at the rate of eight hundred rupees per tree and to provide compensation for the loss of income for a three-year period, sources said.