More rehab assistance to the North

Lakshmi de Silva

Massive reconstruction and rehabilitation assistance for the North is in the pipe line from Japan, the European Union, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and a very large extent of paddy land that remained fallow over several years was to be brought under the plough this Maha crop season, Vavuniya District Secretary Mrs. P.S.M. Charles told the Daily News yesterday.

While a provision of 11 million US Dollars from Japan and 12 million Euros from the European Commission for the rehabilitation and renovations of resettlements has been made the Asian Development Bank had assisted with US Dollars 250 million for the development of the Vavuniya District, she said.

The Vavuniya Development Plan drafted by the Urban Development Authority was approved by the Presidential Task Force and the UNDP had shown their willingness to facilitate this project she further noted.

A modern sewerage treatment plant is to be started at a cost of 18 million US Dollars by the British NGO, OXFAM in collaboration with the UNDP at Vavuniya while another sewerage plant similar to that was to be funded by the Japanese Government was to be started at Thambamadu she explained.

Monsoon rains have started and the resettled civilians have started cultivating their paddy lands. About 4,000 acres in Vavuniya alone which were abandoned for many years are being cultivated with much enthusiasm as they have been provided with services like ploughing done by the army and seed and agricultural implements provided by the Special Task Force, she said.

Commenting on the progress of resettlement of IDPs she said nearly 150,000 IDPs have been resettled already and the balance were to be resettled by January 31, 2010.