The Urban Development Authority (UDA), the Central Environment Authority (CEA) and the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation(LRDC) are forming a Special Unit to remove unauthorized structures and to stop illegal land reclamation works on the spot.

The decision to set up the unit has come as a part of the government’s efforts to address the situation of flash floods, the Daily News reliably learns.

Urban Development Authority (UDA) Enforcement Director, W.A.Siriwardena yesterday said, the heads of the UDA, CEA and LRDC have agreed to set up the Unit in a unanimous decision after several meetings held between them following recent floods.

The new Unit will incorporate members of the Police and the Army. The decision to set up the Unit is the result of many rounds of discussions that has taken place between the authorities to control flooding in areas such as Maharagama, Gampaha, Dehiwala, Panadura,Ratnapura and Hambanthota. Unauthorized structures and illegal filling of canal reservations and marshy lands have been a major cause of flooding in the cities , he explained.

Asked whether the UDA had taken any steps to control the situation of illegal refilling of marshy lands, Siriwardena said, the UDA has taken a decision not to allow any land refilling activity after instructions passed onto them by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a meeting at the Temple Trees, to preserve all available wetlands against refilling.

“The UDA has not allowed any dredging or land refilling activity for several months,” he said. We expect the public to assist us in the process of preventing any more unauthorized structures from being put in their townships as this is likely to worsen the flood situation in their areas.

Once the Unit for Removing Unauthorized Structures is being put into effect, all unauthorised structures will be demolished on the spot upon citizens’ complaints about such activities, he said. (DN)