By Pamodi WaravitaFollowing allegations that the old Jaffna Kachcheri building will be sold to China, officials at the Jaffna District Secretariat (DS) told The Morning that no such moves are underway and that the kachcheri building is currently awaiting development and preservation under the Strategic City Development programme.The officials added that the kachcheri building, which falls under the purview of the Department of Archaeology, was identified as in need of preservation under the Strategic City Development programme and is therefore currently awaiting consultation and financing for its preservation.However, Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) parliamentarian Sivagnanam Shritharan has alleged to the media on 5 July that plans are underway to sell the kachcheri building to China.Resettlement Facilitator for the North and East and Coordinating Secretary to the Prime Minister Geethanath Kasilingam noted in a Twitter statement yesterday (6) that he was informed by the authorities that these allegations are absolutely false.These allegations have arisen at a time when concerns are rising in various quarters about China’s involvement in development projects in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. This year, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal to allow a Chinese joint venture to install hybrid renewable energy systems in the Nainativu, Delft, and Analaitivu Islands off the Jaffna Peninsula.
