24 November 2020 12:00 am
By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana
The Department of Immigration and Emigration is in search of a bigger facility to house its foreign detainees as the present Detention Centre in Mirihana is excessively overcrowded and congested, departmental sources said.
A senior official in charge of the illegal migrants told the Daily Mirror that the department is looking for a large bare land to construct a brand new facility with all the necessary requirements to house the growing number of foreigners.
The Department is focusing to set up the new centre in a land situated in close proximity to the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) like Katunayake, Seeduwa or Divulapitiya areas.
He said plans were afoot last year to purchase a large building complex in Seeduwa area but the facility had to be given up as it was acquired under the international airport expansion project by the Government. The authorities are looking for a property closer to the BIA as it would be easier to deal with removing and deporting the apprehended illegal immigrants as the present centre is situated in South of Colombo.
The current Detention Centre in Mirihana is holding over 180 detainees, with minimal facilities for their living quarters and such.
The present centre is situated in a secluded facility inside the Mirihana Police Station for security purposes too.