Dawn of progress in threatened villages

Nimal Wijesinghe Anuradhapura Additional district group correspondent

The once LTTE threatened villages in Kebithigollewa and Padaviya are presently awakening with the dawn of overall development especially in the fields of road development, electricity and drinking water facilities. The President's farsighted vision in endeavouring to comfort the public, while having allocated nearly 17,000 million for the humanitarian operations to put a fullstop to LTTE terrorism.

So said Minister of Road Development T.B. Ekanayake participating at the inauguration of rehabilitation work on the Kebithigollewa, Vavuniya and Horowpothana-Kebithigollewa roads.

The estimated cost for the two road development projects is Rs. 7,000 million which is provided by the Asian Development Bank.

Ekanayake said that the LTTE terrorists who killed innocent civilians devastating their properties in Kebithigollewa and Padaviya areas were no more in the locality, as a result of the gallantry of our war heroes who have cornered the terrorists to a limited area in Mullaitivu.

The Minister saluted the villagers in these areas for not fleeing in fear of the LTTE and also the war heroes who have been fearlessly engaged in humanitarian operations to eradicate terrorism.

Minister of Indigenous Medicine Tissa Karalliyedde said that President Rajapaksa and the present Government has been very keen in elevating the infrastructure facilities in Medawachchiya, Kebithigollewa, Padaviya and Welioya areas. Where for nearly three decades the villagers were deprived of basic living amenities resulting from cruel LTTE terrorism.

He said with this trend people in these areas are rallying round the President and the UPFA Government. Today 406 villages in Medawachchiya electorate have been provided with electricity and only 20 require the facility.

In the recent past due to the highly dilapidated condition of Kebithigollewa-Vavuniya main road the cordial contacts between the Sinhalese and Tamils in the Zone greatly dwindled paving the way for terrorists to haunt the area. Today the past glory and amicable relationship is being revived, the Minister emphasised.

He said that very soon following the total eradication of the LTTE the market facilities would be amply available in Vavuniya for the farmers and traders in Kebithigollewa and Medawachchiya area.

Deputy Minister of Road Development W.B. Ekanayake, Nation Building Minister S.M. Chandrasena, the member of PC (NCP) Kalyani Karalliyedde and Chairman of PS Keithigollewa K. Senanayake and Ven. Viharahalmillewe Dhammarakkhitha Nayake Thera North Central Adhikarana Sanganayake were present at the inauguration.