Convener of the People's Protesting Front against Uma Oya, Samantha Vidyarathe, categorically denied claims by Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, who visited the area last week to assess the damage caused by the controversial project. 

"There was no move to place him under house arrest We could have attempted something like that but we are aware that it's not the solution to our problem. When the minister visited the area, the people who have become victims of the Uma Oya project exerted pressure on him to give acceptable answers. The people wanted a speedy solution. It is in this context that the Minister left without meeting the people," Vidyaratne said, in a statement. 

"It is not clear whether the Minister got scared after visiting some of the damaged houses. But, he has to understand that there are families who live in those houses that are about to collapse."

"In the recent state media interviews regarding the Uma Oya project, Ministers Wijith Wijayamuni Soysa and Mahinda Amaraweera painted a wrong picture about the issue. In fact, the ITN programme, where Minister Amaraweera was a participant, was one-sided and there was no representative for the affected people." 

"These negative trends give rise to the fear that there is a conspiracy to disrupt our campaign through misinformation and false claims,' Vidyaratne said.

The Provincial Councillor that 7030 buildings, including houses, business places and religious places, have been damaged due to the Uma Oya project. He also said 3112 wells, streams and water ways have dried up due to excavation.