Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna,— To ask the Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation,— (1)

(a) Will he admit that the —

(i) Sri Lanka Railways Department, under the then Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, had prepared plans to construct a railway line from Kurunegala to Habarana via Dambulla and had commenced preliminary works thereon; and

(ii) possession/tenure of the lands and properties of the Rangiri Dambulla Rajamaha Viharaya and the Bambawa Rajamaha Viharaya, and the people of the Galewela and Dambulla Divisional Secretariat Divisions, were legally acquired by the relevant Divisional Secretaries?

(b) Will he inform this House—

(i) whether steps will be taken to return the possession of those lands and properties taken over by the Divisional Secretaries to their original owners;

(ii) if so, whether an amount of money in compensation/ex-gratia payment will be made for the damages caused to the said properties due to non-maintenance for the past 10 years and for the loss of income due to non-development of the lands;

(iii) if so, of the procedure followed in that regard;

(iv) of the date on which the said compensation/ ex-gratia payment will be made; and

(v) ​​if not, whether any such payment will not be made?

(c) If not, why?