Pilfering of goods at KKS Harbour adds to material loss

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 January 2008, 12:03 GMT]
Construction contractors and traders in Jaffna made representations to Government Agent (GA) Jaffna that millions of rupees worth of essential goods and construction materials are routinely pilfered in Kaankeasanthu’rai (KKS) and Mayiliddi harbours located in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone (HSZ), sources in Jaffna said.

In early January, Jaffna Traders Association representatives accused workers and other agents at Colombo Harbour for organized pilfering of millions of rupees worth of goods waiting to be transported to Jaffna.

Items that routinely disappear are construction materials including cement, iron rods and other similar goods.

Though the particulars of the goods loaded on the ships in Colombo harbour are officially confirmed they end up in hands of unscrupulous persons handling the material at the Jaffna harbours, traders alleged.

The goods which arrive at the KKS harobour are taken out of the HSZ via Thellippa’lai to Jaffna.

The loss of items have caused more than two million rupees loss to the private contractor firm engaged in the construction of the medical faculty in Jaffna University.

In addition to private construction firms, local and international volunteer organizations engaged in building projects in the peninsula, are also victims of the pilfering of construction material in KKS harbour.

The GA had informed the SLA high command in Jaffna of the complaint made to him.

SLA has responded that they are taking action to investigate the matter, the sources added.

Chronology: