Tamil National Alliance MP, S. Sritharan, has brought to the notice of the Government Agent (GA), Kilinochchi, the attempt made by a private firm in Anuradhapura to acquire three acres of land that belongs to the Uthiravengai Vairavar Temple, closer to Kilinochchi town, that comes under the purview of the Kanagambikaikulam Grama Sevaka Division.
MP Sritharan, in a letter to the GA, Kilinochchi, has pointed out that three acres of land of the Uthiravengai Vairavar Temple – which is used for religious activities during the festival season had been illegally taken over by a private firm from Anuradhapura, which does not have any links with Kilinochchi. To compound the problem, the party that had acquired the land has brazenly put up a ‘no entry board’ on the land as well.
According to Sritharan, the persons who had forcibly taken over the land had even resorted to threatening the trustees of the temple. The land had been owned by the temple for the past 35 years.
Lands belonging to people and public institutions such as temples are illegally acquired by Sri Lankans who come to the North from the southern part of Sri Lanka, Sritharan pointed out.
“Documents pertaining to the particular land are in the possession of the temple administration and the Government Agent should take measures to prevent land being so acquired and also curtail land being taken over by outside parties. The authorities should hand over the land owned by the Uthiravengai Vairavar Temple to the temple trustee, Sritharan urged.