Vakarai returning to normal

COLOMBO: The activities of resettling the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who left their homes in the Vakarai area following defensive operations by the Security Forces to liberate them from the grip of LTTE terror are now afoot, and life is returning to normal, states a media release by the President’s Office yesterday.

A large number of families from 16 Grama Niladhari Divisions came to the Government controlled areas before the military operations began there.

Immediately after the Armed Forces restored civil administration in these areas, by now nearly 14,000 persons have returned to their usual dwellings. Areas uncleared of explosives such as land-mines will remain closed for the public.

The officials in-charge of resettlement activities are expected to accomplish their task by March 31.

Sixty per cent of Vakarai’s residents are dependent on fishing industry for their living. Most of them have, by now started their normal fishing activities.

About 100 to 150 fishing trawlers and 50 to 60 fishing boats are seen daily engaged in fishing and a large heaps of fish are seen around Panichchankerny bridge ready for sale, according to residents of the area.

The Government provides the returning civilians with dry ration through the Vakarai Co-operative Society in addition to the Samurdhi subsidy.

About six schools in the Vakarai area have resumed their normal activities by now. School uniforms and textbooks were provided to the schoolchildren through Civil Co-ordinators at the Vakarai Divisional Secretariat from March 21.

The bazaars on the highway between Verugal-aru via Kadiraveli are a hive of activity, the public and private transport services have returned to normal.

The people are specially happy about restoration of electricity supply after a lapse of 11 years.

Indoor and outdoor medical activities at the Vakarai Hospital are operational. Special security arrangements have been made to alleviate sporadic dangers from the terrorists.

The prime concern of the Security Forces who have a cordial relationship with the civilians is to protect them from the atrocities of the LTTE terrorists.