President’s efforts to develop Uva praised

The dedicated efforts made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to transform Uva-Wellassa into a highly developed region should be appreciated by all.

Uva-Wellassa is a nurtured by our past freedom fighters, said Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

The Minister was addressing the gathering at a ceremony held at this historic Yudanganawa Raja Maha Viharaya in Buttala to mark the proclamation of the viharaya and its environs as a sacred area on July 30.

He said the Yudanganawa Raja Maha Viharaya is the first sacred area to be declared after the victory over terrorism.

Irrigation, Water Management, Ports and Aviation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa said, most viharayas and dagabas in Uva-Wellassa dated back to the times of kings Kavantissa, Dutugemunu, and Saddhatissa.

“Now we should all join hands to develop Uva-Wellassa to its glory which prevailed before the colonial era. The proclamation declaring the Yudanganawa Raja Maha Viharaya as a sacred area was officially handed over to Viharadhipati Ven. Galtemwatte Chandrajoti Chief Sanghanayake Thera of Moneragala Disava by Ministers Gunawardena and Chamal Rajapaksa.

Ven. Kandaudapanguwe Sudamma Deputy Chief Sanghanayake Thera of Uva-Wellassa, Buttala Pradesheeya Sabha Chairman Damayantha Dolewatta, Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Ministry Secretary Dr. P. Ramanujam and Ayurveda Drugs Corporation Chairman Somaweera Chandrasiri were also present.