Rapid economic resurgence in Moneragala

* Deyata Kirula exhibition in Buttala February 4 to 11, 2011

*Over Rs 15,000 m for expeditious infrastructure development

Ariya RUBASINGHE

The Moneragala district which was once the rice basin of the country under the Uva-Wellassa golden era was totally destroyed by the British rulers avenging for the Uva-Wellassa uprising by destroying all agricultural infrastructure and brutally murdering the male population of over 18 years of age.

Yudaganawa Raja Maha temple after renovation

The district which remained undeveloped under the previous Governments is witnessing a rapid economic and development resurgence throughout the district. Rs 15,000 million additional Government funds are being diverted to undertake expeditious infrastructure development work in the District in conjunction with the Deyata Kirula Exhibition which will be held in Buttala from February 4 to 11 next year. Rs 6,000 million is being spent for construction of the road network alone. One of the major roads being constructed is Uda Walawa-Thanamalwila Road at a cost of Rs 786 million.

The Buttala district hospital is one of the oldest hospitals in the Uva Province. The second building that had been constructed for this hospital bears an insignia showing the construction year as 1865. This 103 bed hospital has six wards including maternity and childcare wards and the hospital is being completely renovated and the additional construction work including construction of a mortuary which was a long felt need and construction of toilets.

The DMO of the hospital Dr Ajantha Peiris said that the hospital has a staff shortage and equipment including shortage of doctors and nurses. The Health Ministry officials recently visited to the hospital to assess the requirements and they hope that their needs world be met under the large scale development work that is being carried out in conjunction with the Deyata Kirula program.

Cultural developments

Renovation work, including construction of the Dharmasalawa of the ancient Yudagana Raja Maha Viharaya is being carried out with Government funds and donations made by the Dayaka Sabha. The Chief Incumbent of the Viharaya Ven Galtanwatte Nandaratana Thera said that the President who laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Dharmasalawa is very keen on developing the temple and it is their desire to get the newly constructed Dharmasalawa declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa upon its completion.

The historical Yudaganawa Chaitya, which has a history of over 2,500 years is also being renovated. This Chaitya had been invaded by the jungle for several decades and 15,000 cubic metres of sand had been removed to restore the Chaitya and start its renovation work now being carried out with annual allocation of funds by the Government.

The Chaitya has several anecdotes relating to it. Historical accounts relate that construction of this Chaitya was started by King Dutugemunu in repentance of having to wage war against his own brother King Saddatissa at this location, but he could not complete its construction due to his early demise. The Chaitya area is also the place that King Dutugemunu rested and distributed swords, shields and other armaments to his Army on the second day of their march to defeat the Elara forces, after the commencement of their journey from the Magampura area.

There are several water supply schemes being implemented with the participation of the people of the area. One such water supply scheme is the Peellewela scheme which would provide pipe borne water for 400 households in the area. The water tank of the project could store 60,000 gallons of water.

Buttala District Hospital under construction

The area has several wells, but these wells go dry in many months of the year forcing the people to trek several miles to Menik Ganga to fetch water. With the provision of electricity soon the scheme will become operational. Altogether 16 water supply schemes are being implemented in the District, under the expeditious development of the district at a cost of Rs 219 million.

In the village of Kugaranpola, in the Buttala Divisional Development Secretariat Division, the Udawewa tank has been renovated with the participation of farmer families in the area. There are 500 farmer families in the area. With the renovation of this tank these families plan to cultivate 650 acres of paddy land during the forthcoming Maha season. Similarly several tanks, anicuts and canals have been renovated in the three electorates of the district, including the Talapola, Samadhitissa and Sugaladevi Tanks.

Mobile services

A media team organized by the National Centre for Media Development of the Ministry of Mass Media and Information visited the district recently and found that mobile services are being held in the Divisional Secretariat areas of the district, with the participation of Government Departments to provide expeditious solutions to long outstanding problems of the people in the district. These mobile services were held in Buttala, Moneragala, Madulla, Wellawaya and Badalkumbura areas. The mobile services also provided career guidance on employment and training programs, held blood banks and eye camps and issued spectacles. The officials disclosed that at the Buttala mobile service, 5,907 of 6,140 problems presented by the people were solved. Similarly 2,523 out of 2,848 in Moneragala, 3,639 of Madulla, and 3,448 of 4,412 of Wellawaya were solved.

End of Thavalama era

Most of the problems related to land disputes and non-availability of national identity cards and birth certificates. At the Badalkumbura mobile service held on December 15 and 16, 762 people were issued birth certificates, 1,588 persons were issued with national identity cards and 489 persons were provided with eye treatment and spectacles.

In the past, people of the Moneragala district due to lack of roads had to trek muddy and gravel foot paths by placing their produce on cattle in the mode of transport known as Thavalama for several miles to market their produce. This era has is history in the Moneragala district at present, and the Thavalama routes have become concrete roads built under Maga Neguma and Gama Neguma programs.

Roads and by roads are being developed from every corner of the district connecting the towns of Siyambalanduwa, Wellawaya, Moneragala, Bibile and other townships.

To be continued