Surveyor's Department to seek private sector help

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

The Surveyor's department will seek private sector assistance if the surveyor cadre shortage affects the fulfillment of the Department's task in the development drive launched by the Government, Surveyor General S.M.W.Fernando told the Daily news yesterday.

Responding to queries from the Daily News whether the surveyor cadre shortage affects the department's share of the development drive especially in the Uthuru Vasanthaya program, the Surveyor General said that they are fulfilling the task entrusted to them making maximum use of the available surveyors.

"It is true that we need a cadre of 850 surveyors. But we do our full work load with this staff. They sometimes work on Saturdays and Sundays also. If we need more surveyors for development programs like Uthuru Vasanthaya and Negenahira Navodaya we hope to seek private sector assistance he said. But we hope to provide a good training for Land Surveying degree holders and provide job opportunities for them."

He also said " Surveyors work silently in all major national development schemes as pioneers who step - in first to the sites. The Surveyor's Department is mainly divided into two management units to handle its central functions and provincial functions which are managed by the Additional Surveyor General and the most Senior Deputy Surveyor General respectively.

As the oldest department in the country, the Surveyor's Department plays the major role of the development of the country.