District Bim Saviya offices asked to report issues to main office

The Land Settlement Department yesterday requested their district ‘Bim Saviya’ offices to report all their issues arising surveying lands and when issuing title registrations under the Bim Saviya survey programmed, to the head office.

Speaking to Daily Mirror, Additional Surveyor General (Title Registration) of the Survey Department Ranjith Palihakkara said few incidents in this regard had been reported but most of them were reported to be stuck at district offices.

He said the Bim Saviya programme was implemented in collaboration with three government institutions including the Department of Land Settlement, Registrar General’s Department, and the Surveys Department.

“Most of the issues cropped up during the first phase of the survey carried out under the programme in 2004. The main reason for creating such issues was not educating the people about how much value of the Bim Saviya Title registration will have in future,” Mr Palihakkara said.

“Therefore, most of them did not care about the programme as most of them have clear title deeds,” he said.

Under the Bim Saviya programme, all original deeds will be taken and replaced with one-page Certificate of Title with owners name and plan depicted on it. Originals will be destroyed he said.

“Originals will be of no value but I would strongly recommend the owners to retain the original deeds, extracts and the certified copies of their deeds,” he said
The District Commissioners have the responsibility for total amendment of the Cadastral system in their districts to clear the issues or to inform the issues to the Battaramulla Bim Saviya head office, he said.

Therefore, the Land Settlement Department request all district offices to inform all issues regarding issuing the Title registrations, Mr Palihakkara added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)