Cabinet approves Rs. 1.2 m compensation for Uma Oya-affected 276 families

Thursday, 2 April 2026 05:36 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa

Marking a significant policy shift from earlier resettlement plans that failed to materialise, the Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved compensation of around Rs. 1.2 million each for 276 farming families affected by the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project.

Addressing the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing on Tuesday, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said, the decision follows recommendations by a Cabinet Sub-Committee appointed to address long-standing issues arising from the project, particularly the displacement of farmers, who lost their cultivable lands.

A previous Cabinet approval granted on 27 June 2012 had proposed allocating alternative agricultural lands in the lower Uma Oya valley to the affected families in Hali-Ela, Walimada, and Uva Paranagama.

However, he said authorities were unable to implement the plan due to multiple constraints, including encroachment of the identified lands by unauthorised occupants, dense forest cover, threats from wild elephants, and the remoteness of the locations from the farmers’ original communities.

It was also noted that adapting to new environmental and social conditions posed significant challenges for the displaced families, further undermining the feasibility of relocation.