The Government has taken over the Otter Aquatic Club over non-payment of a huge outstanding lease.

Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretary Mrs. Priyantha Dissanayake told Colombo Gazette that the entire property was handed over to the Divisional Secretariat yesterday.

She said that she has received orders to handover the property to the Urban Development Authority (UDA).

The Otter Aquatic Club had been given time till 30th September 2020 to vacate the premises.

The lease for Otter Aquatic Club expired on 30 September 2019. The club had an arrears payment due on the lease, and the arrears due was to the tune of Rs. 31 million.

Earlier, Otter Aquatic Club Managing Director Mahendra de Silva had said that they were facing a losing battle in the attempt to try and save the club.

He said that talks were underway with the Urban Development Authority (UDA) to try and reach a settlement.

However the talks had failed and the property was taken over by the Government.

The management of Water’s Edge which is under the UDA will manage the complex accroding to Government sources.