One fifty stall owners at the Dambulla Economic Centre had been ordered to hand back their stalls within 24 hours by the Dambulla Divisional Secretary Lakshmi Hewapathirana since they had not paid due rent as per the lease agreement. The Economic Centre Manager said the stall owners owed the government nearly Rs. 30 million as rentals.
He said eviction notices have already been sent to the traders.
Some traders, however, said they did not receive the eviction orders.
Traders' Association President U.R. Daya Nandasiri said the management increased the rentals without prior notice and the traders had opposed the move in writing.
They withheld payments until they received a response to their petition from the management.
But the management had issued the order without responding to their appeal. Officers at the centre seemed to be defying even court orders, they said.
The Traders Union said this may be a conspiracy by the officials to inconvenience the government.