President at preliminary discussions on Deyata Kirula 2013:

'Development should not harm environment'

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed organizers of Deyata Kirula to ensure that only officials who are dedicated to protect the environment and historic value of sites are employed when carrying out development and infrastructure work for the Deyata Kirula event in 2013.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Centred on Ampara next year's Deyata Kirula will held in the Ampara, Batticaloa, Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee districts. The President told the relevant officials to work out a systematic plan to select projects suited to each district backed by appropriate development programmes and to carry out work pertaining to all other needs of the people.

The President issued these directives at the preliminary discussions relating to the 2013 Deyata Kirula exhibition and the handing over of the report of the 2012 Deyata Kirula National Development Exhibition, at Temple Trees yesterday. President Rajapaksa also told officials to make sure that pamphlets and handbills at the exhibition be printed in both Sinhala and Tamil and to devise measures at exhibition stalls so that prerecorded audio tapes will give out the messages in Sinhala and Tamil. He also told the officials that all construction and infrastructure development for the event should be carried out in such a manner that these would benefit tourism and agriculture sectors thereafter.

It was also suggested that the buildings erected for the Oyamadu Deyata Kirula exhibition be converted to be used for storing paddy and the rest converted into Vocational Training Centres and small tea factories.

The President also asked the officials to inquire into the possibility of using the Oyamadu agriculture grounds as a model farm of the dry zone.

The President was presented the 2012 Deyata Kirula Exhibition report and scroll by Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya. The 10 best exhibition stalls were also awarded prizes and certificates.

Senior Minister P. Dayaratne, Ministers Maithripala Sirisena, A. L. M. Athaulla, S. M. Chandrasena, Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and the service chiefs were also present.