Sri Lanka, Jan. 30 -- The government has reclaimed a five-acre tract of land in Haputale, previously leased to the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) during the administration of former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The property, part of the Viharagala estate under the Ministry of Plantation Industries, had been leased to the GMOA for a period of 30 years for the development of a holiday resort.

The lease, executed on 24 May 2023, granted the GMOA use of the 2.0234-hectare estate at a rate of Rs. 50,000 per acre. However, due to violations of lease conditions and procedural irregularities associated with the transfer, the Ministry of Plantation Industries has repossessed the property.

Situated in a region close to pro...