SC calls for extensive report on compensation of farmers affected by Uma Oya project
March 5, 2020 11:55 am
The Attorney General has been ordered by the Supreme Court to produce an extensive report on the compensation of farmers whose crops were damaged due to the Uma Oya project.
A Fundamental Rights petition filed by the affected farmers was taken up before the Supreme Court Justices Priyantha Jayawardena, Preethi Padman Surasena and Yasantha Kodagoda, today (05).
Speaking on behalf of the Attorney General, Deputy Solicitor General of Government Parinda Ranasinghe told the court that the water leak caused by the Uma Oya project has been completely attended to.
The farmers are now able to continue with their farming activities as the groundwater in the farming lands are now at positive levels, he added.
Attorney Ravindranath Dabare, representing the petitioners, informed the court that an estimate of the due compensation for the affected farmer has been made by the Department of Agrarian Services.
However, the government has not matched the compensation to the estimation of the Department and this has severely inconvenienced the farmers, Dabare charged.
Accordingly, the court ordered the Attorney General to submit an extensive report on the compensations already paid to the farmer and the compensations due, on the 20th of July to the court.
