Due to the disaster that occurred in the Nuwara Eliya area with Cyclone Ditva, sand is in great need for road reconstruction and building repairs. However, the Nuwara Eliya Divisional Superintendent of Police will not allow the legal transportation of sand from Mahiyangana via Walapane, says Dinesh Geeganage, Chairman of the Nuwara Eliya Sand Transporters Association.
(14) According to a permit issued by the Mines and Geology Bureau for the transportation of sand, permission was granted to transport sand from Mahiyangana via Kandaketiya to Nuwara Eliya via Walapane, and accordingly, 5 tipper trucks used to transport the sand have been stopped near the Kandeketiya police station on the orders of the Divisional Senior Superintendent of Police.
He says that he inquired about this from the Executive Engineer of the Nuwara Eliya Highways Office and the Nuwara Eliya District Secretary, and both of them said that Nuwara Eliya sand is essential and that there is no ban on transporting sand on that road.
He then inquired about this from the Senior Superintendent of Police, who said that he would not allow the transportation of sand and liquor on that road, says Dinesh Geeganage, Chairman of the Nuwara Eliya Sand Transporters Association.
When we inquired about this from the Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of the Nuwara Eliya Division, Mr. Chandraskara Bandara, on (14), he said that several tipper trucks had been stopped in the morning and that the OIC of the Kanadketiya Police had been ordered to transport those tipper trucks to Nuwara Eliya.