Landlords Exploit Crisis, Hike Rents for Displaced Families

 Members of displaced families allege that some landlords have unfairly increased house rents, following the government's decision to provide a monthly rental allowance of twenty-five thousand rupees for families who have lost their homes due to disaster situations and are currently temporarily residing in safe camps and relatives' houses.

This opportunistic behavior has further exacerbated the difficulties faced by the affected people, and this situation was also severely discussed at a recent coordination committee meeting held at the Nuwara Eliya District Secretariat, chaired by the President.

It was revealed that a major obstacle for these displaced people when renting a house is landlords demanding at least three months' advance payment, and in areas like Kothmale, some individuals have exploited this national disaster as an advantageous opportunity, doubling house rents.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media in Kandy after an observation tour in the Walapane area, Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva pointed out that houses previously available in the area for less than twenty-five thousand rupees are now being demanded by some for around thirty-five thousand rupees.

Furthermore, the MP emphasized that there is a tendency for people who received compensation and moved out of hazardous locations due to the 1987 landslides to resettle in those same risky areas and attempt to claim compensation again. He stressed that this problem is perpetual, and if the current government does not take proper steps to prevent it, this crisis will never be resolved.