Hotel owned by former Governor’s wife ordered to be demolished

By Dayaratne Embogama   

Colombo, Sept. 22 (Daily Mirror) - A hotel owned by Ms. Ajantha Rupasari Herath, wife of former North Central Province Governor Maheepala Herath, has been ordered to be demolished after it was found to be illegally constructed within the Perimiyankulama Tank Reserve.

The order was issued by Central Nuwaragam Province Divisional Secretary Sudarshana Dissanayake, who confirmed that the buildings, including the hotel and several adjoining structures, occupy a 60-perch plot of protected land.

According to authorities, the constructions were carried out without proper documentations or legal approvals. The demolition must be completed within one month of the notice.

The action comes as part of a broader government initiative to demarcate and protect tank reserves in the Anuradhapura District. 

The programme, spearheaded by the Irrigation Department, involves surveying the land and installing boundary markers to prevent future encroachments.

Divisional Secretary Dissanayake said that following a recent survey, it was confirmed that the disputed property lies within the officially designated boundaries of the Perimiyankulama Tank Reserve, prompting the legal action.