Record turnout at Deyata Kirula

Dharma Sri Abeyratne in Anuradhapura

The sixth Deyata Kirula exhibition in Oyamaduwa Anuradhapura concluded yesterday.

The final day ceremony was held under the patronage of Prime Minister D M Jayaratne.

The exhibition commenced on February 4 parallel to the Independence Day celebrations in Anuradhapura under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The sixth Deyata Kirula exhibition recorded a turnout of over 3.5 million setting a record by yesterday evening, the Deyata Kirula exhibition organizing committee said. Considering the huge turn out, the exhibition was extended by two days until yesterday.

The exhibition was scheduled to conclude on Friday.

A survey at the entrance to the exhibition revealed that people had come from Kegalle, Badulla, Ratnapura, Matara and Trincomalee.

A significant number of visitors were from the North and East.

Statistics revealed that there were around 400,000 visitors from the North and East. All stalls were filled with visitors of all age groups. The Lake House stall in the Media Zone was filled with hundreds of visitors throughout the day.

Lake House has been taking part in the Deyata Kirula exhibition since its inception six years ago. The Lake House stall provided knowledge and information while showcasing the history of both Lake House and the print industry.

Meanwhile, in line with the Deyata Kirula exhibition, the development of the Anuradhapura district has been expedited several folds in a short period of three years.

The government has implemented several mega infrastructure and livelihood development projects in the district, especially in former conflict-affected villages including Oyamaduwa, Padaviya and Horowpothana.

Fifty thousand families in Maha Vilachchiya Divisional Secretariat division were given 1,000 roofing tiles each. Computers were also distributed among youths in the district. With the conclusion of the Deyata Kirula exhibition, an agriculture museum will be set up at Oyamaduwa, Anuradhapura where the model farm was situated at the Deyata Kirula exhibition. Over 40 agrarian service centres in the district have been renovated. The Wilpattu National Park is also being developed to international standards at a cost of Rs 420 million. Moreover, 200 small tanks in the district damaged by the LTTE have already been renovated. Three giant buildings in the Deyata Kirula site will also be converted into paddy stores after the conclusion of the exhibition. A pure drinking water supply project has also been implemented in Oyamaduwa. Over 30,000 families in the Maha Vilachchiya Divisional Secretariat division will benefit from these drinking water projects.