Features | Online edition of Daily News

The country’s longest tunnel at Ramboda in Gampola – Nuwara Eliya main road being opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The 225 metre long tunnel was built at a cost of Rs. 2,000 million. The tunnel which is part of the renovated and expanded road has helped streamline transportation from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy, Colombo and beyond.

It is envisaged by experts that achieving a balanced regional development is the key to success in countries like Sri Lanka, where a majority of the population live in rural areas.

If the efforts during the last four years and ones which are in the pipeline is to be taken into account, it is clear that this fact has not been lost on the present regime led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

President Rajapaksa, on numerous occasions has emphasised that achieving equity in development and other spheres as the key to prosperity. He at the outset stated “I strongly believe in minimising deficiencies in the regional development and converting all sections of the people to stakeholders in the process as the way forward”.

The village is considered the axis of national development and the `Mahinda Chinthana’ emphasises that achievement of national development is desired and acquired through successful development of a village.

Thus, the last four years have seen monumental changes and achievements in regional development which has placed Sri Lanka on the threshold of a socio-economic revolution that will ensure a brighter future for all. On this occasion we take a look at the progress of the development efforts in the Nuwara Eliya district during the last four years, which was considered as one of the most underprivileged, a few years back.

Nuwara Eliya at a glance

The Nuwara Eliya district, situated in the Central Province of Sri Lanka has a total land extent of 554 square miles (1437 square metres). The hilly terrain has Kandy,Badulla and Ratnapura districts as its boundaries and experiences diverse geographical and climatic symptoms.

Blessed with a salubrious climate, breathtaking views of valleys, meadows, mountains and greenery; it’s hard to imagine that Nuwara Eliya is only 180 Km from the hot and humid Colombo.

The Nuwara Eliya town, situated at 6500 feet height from sea level is considered as the highest in the country. It is a plateau which is surrounded by the two mountains Pidurutalagala ( 8250 feet ) and Kikiliyamana ( 7342 feet) from the sea level.

World class golf course in Nuwara Eliya

The district has four electoral divisions in Nuwara Eliya-Maskeliya, Ambagamuwa, Kotmale, Hanguranketha and Walapone. It houses 491 Grama Niladhari divisions.

The population variances according to ethnic groups are as follows: population combination according to the ethnic communities in 2004 (It is estimated according to the population statistics report in 2001)Sinhala - 290,458, Tamil – 415,432, Muslim-18,186, Others - 1,506.

Since 2006 Nuwara Eliya as a whole has experienced much progress in varied spheres. This has not been confined to a single area, but has reached even the remotest of areas in the district. Here is a closer look at the progress made so far.

The road structure in the district has been its bane for a long period. Vagaries of weather, specially rain and subsequent landslides has played its part in making roads unusable at times.

Although continuous temporary maintenance has been going on, there has not been any permanent solution to the problems.

However, according to District Secretary D.P.G. Kumarasiri this longstanding barrier which has hampered Nuwara Eliya’s quest to achieve prosperity is changing fast.

Since 2006 up to now the Government has spent more than Rs. 880 million to develop 2488 rural village roads in the district. Some by-roads which have been getting damaged constantly due to rain and landslides have been concreted.

In addition, during the period the Government has spent more than Rs.40 million to repair major dilapidated roads under ‘Maga Neguma’. The earlier hazardous journey to reach Nuwara Eliya from Kandy has been made easy with a fully carpeted and expanded road.

Plans have been mooted for an overhaul of the Nuwara Eliya-Badulla road at a cost of Rs.5,500 million. In addition the Road Development Authority too has allocated Rs. 134.2 million to supplement 131 projects which are in the pipeline.

Agriculture is the main livelihood avenue in the district which is famous for its tea and vegetables. According to the District Secretary the present fertilizer subsidy has played a big part in helping the farmers to increase their profits.

In addition the Government has initiated programs to uplift agriculture by introducing regional buying centres, soft loans for farmers and help through new technological innovations.

According to reliable sources about five years back it took more than 10 hours for a lorry transporting vegetables from Nuwara Eliya to reach Colombo. Now with the renovations and optimum quality of the road network transportation takes only 06 hours.

According to the DS during the last four years the Government has spent more than Rs. 7.5 million to uplift agriculture and renovate irrigation facilities in the district. Nuwara Eliya is considered as a district which has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the country. Thus during the last four years enhanced focus has been laid to improve education and related facilities.

According to the District Secretary during the last four years more than Rs. 12 million has been spent on 28 projects aimed at improving education facilities in the district.

Over 1,500 new teaching appointments have been given for estate schools alone. The efforts have not gone to waste as shown by recent results where a schoolboy from Hatton won a bronze medal at an international mathematics competition.

During the last four years enhanced focus too has been laid on improving domestic water facilities in the district. According to DS the Government during the last four years has spent more than Rs. 32 million to improve this aspect in 175 projects. In addition Rs. 2,934 million has been allocated to improve water facilities to townships in the district.

Numerous projects has been launched to improve housing facilities. The Housing Development Authority has allocated Rs. 7.8 million for new ventures in the future. In addition the Government has embarked on a program to provide plantation workers with single housing units deviating from the traditional line rooms concept. A project is under way to build 50,000 such houses and much progress has been made in this regard.

Plantation sector

The Nuwara Eliya district houses the largest concentration of tea plantations and workers. Although migrant employees brings the much needed foreign exchange to the country, the popularity of Sri Lankan tea still holds an important place in the world. However, for a long time the plantation sector workers has been languishing as one of the most underprivileged communities in the country.

When we compare the past four years with the sixty-year history of independent Sri Lanka, it is crystal clear that the plantation sector has seen considerable improvement under President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

During the four-years of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency more than three thousand teachers have been appointed in the plantation areas.

This is a significant step as it has given a much needed boost to educational development among the estate workers. The success achieved in the field of education is such that a student from Hatton was able to participate in the International Mathematics Competition and won a bronze medal.

More than two thousand estate youths were given computer training within four years. In addition, plantation youths were recruited as Grama Niladharis and appointments have been given to government institutions, including police stations, where the estate population could obtain services in Tamil Language.

Estate workers faced immense difficulties in obtaining National Identity Cards due to lack of birth certificates and other documents. This was rectified by the present government in a successful manner. The other important issue of citizenship was solved under the incumbent President. This enabled estate workers to seek foreign employment.

Housing schemes were started to replace line room systems which existed since the opening of plantations, thus the estate housing got a new boost.

Village in the Nuwara Eliya suburb under development

In the past there were no bus services to estates but this long felt need has been fulfilled under Mahinda Rajapaksa. Buses carry sign boards in Tamil. The roads which were in a deplorable condition have been repaired for the benefit of workers and students who travel down to towns and cities.

In the past estate managements were entrusted with the task of delivering letters and telegrams. The age-old system has now been abolished and direct delivery of letters and telegrams take place. Plantation youths have been recruited in this field and are paid by the government.

Providence of electricity to estate line rooms and newly built houses opened wide vistas to the workers that enabled them to improve their living standards.

The other important aspect is the take over of estate hospitals. Already 68 estate hospitals have been taken over by the government.

The amount spent during the past four years on this project is Rs. 225 million. For the first time 165 persons from estates have been trained as nurses in Batticaloa Nurses College who sat for their exam last week. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed the authorities to appoint them to serve in estate hospitals.

Politically, up country people’s representation in parliament has increased considerably.

Upper Kotmale Water Project - This Project with 150 Mega Watt capacity is expected to provide 509 GWH per year to the national grid.

Tourism

An early 20th century English writer commented on Nuwara Eliya “When he looks out of his window in the early morning and sees the whole world glistening under hoar-frost and the garden brimming with geraniums, pansies, sweet peas and every English flower, he wonders if he is really in the tropics at all. There is no need to wonder. It is the tropics and it’s for real”.

Tourism is the second largest revenue earner within the Nuwara Eliya economy. With the advent of peace and better infrastructure, tourism industry of Nuwara Eliya is once again booming.

Accordingly Tourism Development Committee of Nuwara Eliya has decided to organise three tourist seasons in Nuwara Eliya in future instead of one to meet the growing demand.

In addition to the major season in April, two other ‘Mini Seasons’ are to follow in August and December every year.

This has been decided following the tremendous success of the Mini Season held recently. This expected to develop more direct and indirect employment avenues for the youth of the district.

As a whole Nuwara Eliya district has made much headway in numerous spheres during the last four years. However there is much progress to be made as well. But if the current trend is to go by it is crystal clear that Nuwara Eliya’s progress has been in the correct path. The correct path to prosperity.

Nuwara Eliya developed under Mahinda Chinthana

Nuwara Eliya at a glance

Plantation sector

Tourism