Over Northern re-settlement

pace quickens120 families settled:

Next to settle: 771 families:

Jayasiri MUNASINGHE in Mannar

The Government which has taken up the massive challenge of re-settling civilians rescued through humanitarian operations in the North in their original lands has decided to re-settle another batch of 3,000 people belonging to 771 families in the Mannar district. People in welfare camps in Mannar district are being re-settled under the first stage of this program ‘Uthuru Vasanthaya’ supervised by Presidential Senior Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, MP under the guidance of the President.

Accordingly 410 persons belonging to 122 families were re-settled in their original lands on April 30. The second batch of 3,000 persons belonging to 771 families will be re-settled in 26 villages coming under the purview of five Divisional Secretariat divisions viz. Pandaraveli, Punichchikulam, Muruththanmadu, Thisinnapillai, Yathirkerni and Puliyankulam. The re-settlement is done without any coercion after fully clearing these areas of landmines, said Chandra Fernando, Advisor to the Negenahira Navodaya program.

He also said re-settlement is done according to highest international standards after rehabilitating the Yoda Wewa under World Bank aid.

This project costing Rs. 385 million will facilitate irrigation facilities to 30,000 acres of farm land, this benefitting 7,500 farmer families in the area.