Nagamu Purawara, a huge success

Shirley WIJESINGHE

Fifty eight projects launched under the "Nagamu Purawara" program initiated under President Mahinda Rajapaksa's direction had been successfully completed within five weeks at a cost of Rs 8,968,383, Colombo Chief City Administrator Omar Kamil said.

The number of people benefited through the projects are 16,078. Around 1,500 under served settlements have been identified by the CMC within the Colombo City limits, he added.

He was explaining the progress of "Nagamu Purawara" to the media yesterday.

The CMC was able to provide 221 toilets and 70 baths for under-served settlements through Stages I, II, and III, Kamil said.

The other stages of the program will be continued to expand their basic needs as a responsibility of the CMC, he added.

Under this accelerated program, the Colombo Municipality has arrived at a decision to improve the basic services in collaboration with the Urban Development Authority, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Land Reclamation and Development Corporation, National Housing Development Authority and Railway Department, after sorting out land disputes.

Kamil said the service of people who live in under-served settlements are very important to the national development and Government should think about motivating them to follow the correct path by providing adequate settling facilities to them.