Anti - Dengue drive:

Police set up special unit

Sarath MALALASEKERA

Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya has set up a "Environmental Protection Unit" to assist in the current Dengue eradication campaign.

The IGP speaking to the media yesterday evening at Police Headquarters said that Deputy Inspector General of Police Anura Senanayake had been assigned to be in charge of the special unit.

On the direction of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa the police have already established 143 units in countrywide for the purpose of keeping a clean environment and prevent the spread of dengue.

The IGP warned traders not to dump their garbage in front of their premises. The Police have already arrested over 300 persons who have flouted this order and taken them before courts.

"We need public assistance in order to eradicate this dengue menace. The media also has a important role to play by assisting the Police to eradicate dengue," the IGP said.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Anura Senanayake addressing the media said that all Senior DIGs, DIGs, Senior SPs and SPs have already being advised to corporate with this special unit. The Western Province has already set-up 35 units to control the dengue menace. DIG Senanayake issued a special note to the media containing the telephone numbers of the relevant police stations who are to be informed about any person violating the law. They are - Pettah- Inspector W. B. Weerasinghe on 011-3133720, Slave Island- Inspector H.D.U.A. Seneviratne on 011-3133637, Maradana- Inspector T. Emanual on 011-3050580, Kirullapaone- Sub Inspector Saman Jayasundera on 011-3188884, Bambalapitiya- Inspector Upali Munasinghe 011-3133710, Cinamond Gardens- Inspector Ranjith Lal on 011-3133660, Kotahena- Sub Inspector W.M. Gunaratne on 011-3188794 and Dematagoda- Inspector Terance Padma Sri on 011-3081036.

In an emergency the public could contact any of the above telephone numbers and inform them about offenders. One of the police officers will arrive on the spot within a few seconds, DIG Senanayake said.

In addition to controlling the dengue menace this special unit will also conduct investigations into unauthorised structures, illicit timber felling, sand mining. Any person irrespective of their position who violate the law will be dealt with.

Senior DIG K.P.P. Pathirana, Senior SPs Gamini Dissanayake, Ravi Waidyalankara, Macarthy Perera, Nandana Wijeratne, SPs Priyasantha Jayakody, Ravindra Karavita and Priyalal Dassnayake also participated at the media conference.