100 water tanks renovated in A'pura and K'gala under 'PEACE' project

By Nimal WIJESINGHE, Anuradhapura Additional district group

Under the accelerated Pro-poor Economic Advancement and Community Enhancement (PEACE) project 100 major and medium scale water tanks in Anuradhapura and Kurunegala districts are currently being renovated.

The extensive irrigation development scheme is being funded by Japan and the Sri Lanka Governments amounting to Rs. 5,039 million.

The Japanese Government grants the loan facility for Rs. 3,867 million through Japanese Bank for International Corporation (JBIC).

The significance of the PEACE project is that the farmer organisation come within the purview of each tank, earmarked for rehabilitation are entrusted the task of construction work relating to the sub-systems of the tanks including the network of water canals. Earlier, though the farmer organisations were offered contracts concerning the tank construction work, the contractors did them in the cover of the farmers.

According to engineer Neil Bandara, the Project Director of the PEACE project, the farmer organisations have been offered contracts worth Rs. 150 million at present.

He said that the all work of PEACE project should have to be completed as it has been agreed by March, 2010.

Among the major irrigation schemes envisaged to be renovated are Tissawewa, Nuwarawewa, Nachchaduwa, Rajanganaya, Palukadawewa, Atharagallewa and Magalla Tanks.

In the meantime under the programme, the 25,000 families living in the particular tank areas are encouraged to start self-employment ventures for their livelihood mainly depending on paddy cultivation.

The members of the farmer families are supported by the PEACE project to get self-employment training in ventures such as home gardening, betal growing, horticulture, cashew cultivation and cashew precessing and inland fishery.

Ornamental fish breeding and dairy farming also encouraged.

So far with the assistance and under the patronage of various government agencies such as Cashew Corporation, Institute of Pro-harvest Technology Industrial Development Board, National Aqua Culture Development Authority, Animal Production and Health Department etc., the self-employment training has been provided to about 1,500 farmers and their families.

Recently the Management of the PEACE project has designed a special soft interest loan scheme to help those farmers who intend to start self-employment ventures.

The project management has reserved a sum of Rs. 100 million initially for granting loans up to Rs. 20,000 for each venture.

Wap Magul festival at Bandaragama

By Divakara MOHITTI - Kalutara Group

The National Wap Magul festival will be held on a grand scale on October 9 under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Bandaragama.

The chief organiser Tudor Dayaratne has been tasked to look into the requirements for the Wap Magul festival.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka along with other Cabinet Ministers and Parliamentarians attached to Kalutara district, the Government Agent, Kalutara and higher officials and distinguished visitors will take part in the festival.

N. A. K. L. Wijenayaka, Asst. Commissioner of Agriculture, Kalutara attached to the district office Kalutara making necessary assistance for the organising committee of the National Wap Magul festival, the sources said.

Indonesia to help in maize cultivation

by D. C. de Silva

A delegation headed by Indonesia's Gorontolo Province Governor, Fadel Muhammed was in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, recently in order to promote bilateral relations between the two provinces, on the concept, South-South Co-operation and on the two parties together held a press conference at the Provincial Chief Secretaries' Auditorium in Galle. Gorontolo Governor, Fadel Muhammed pledged support to promote the maize cultivation and tourism in the Southern Province.

Thanking the Gorontolo Governor and his team the Southern Province Governor said, Maize Cultivation is done at a considerable level in Sri Lanka, especially in the NCP and Ministry of National Development Planning to go ahead extensively.

170 co-operative societies to help low income families

by M. A. R. Manukulasooriya, Hiriyala group

A special plan has been designed by the Provincial Ministry of Co-operatives to set up 170 host co-operative societies in order to grant loans to low income families for self-employment.

This was announced by piyasiri Ramanayake, Provincial Minister of co-operatives at a Press Briefing held at his Ministry, recently.

The Minister said that any member of above mentioned co-operative society could get a loan ranging from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 300,000 for any type of self-employment project under an annual interest rate of 8%. "The technical know-how required will be provided by the Ministry free of charge. This programme has already been implemented in the Puttalam district" he added.

No veterinary facilities

by Matale District Group

Samurdhi families who are engaged in animal husbandry in Matale district are inconvenienced owing to the lack of veterinary facilities.

Mainly they are engaged with dairy and poultry farming in the area.

They said that when they need the necessary treatment for their animals, the officials neglect their requests made by them.

Therefore the Samurdhi recipients are facing difficulties in looking after their animals and birds.

Some veterinary officials state that the higher authorities are unable to provide proper facilities for them to perform their duties and the delays in carrying out their duties become inevitable.

However the Samurdhi recipients appeal to the Government to take immediate action to solve their problem.

Libraries get facelift

by M. A. R. Manukulasooriya - Hiriyala Group

Arrangements have been made by the Local Government Department to develop 12 selected libraries in the Province as Model Libraries. At present there are 172 Public Libraries in the Province that are maintained by the local authorities.

Public Libraries in Kirimetiyana, Kuliyapitiya, Wellawa, Mavathagama, Narammala, Pannala, Wariyapola, Chilaw, Udubaddawa, Hettipola, Puttalam and Kobeigane have been selected for the development under this programme.

"We hope to develop other libraries gradually. The main objective of this programme is to promote the reading habit" a spokesman of the Department said.

168 houses for homeless families

by K. A. Perera - Wadduwa Special

One hundred and sixty-eight houses for homeless families on the Kalutara district will be constructed under "Diriya Piyasa Niwasa" programme said D. Haputhanthri, the Deputy Commissioner of Samurdhi Kalutara.

She said that eighty four lakhs of rupees have been allocated for divisional secretariat offices of Kalutara district.

Nine houses will be constructed in Agalawatta divisional secretariat division, and Millaniya - 9, Horana 15, Kalutara - 18, Palindanuwara - 9, Beruwala - 18, Dodangoda - 9, Matugama - 12, Bandaragama 12, Ingiriya - 9, Bulathsinghala - 12, Walalavita -12, Panadura - 9, and Madurawala -9.

The Construction work of most of the houses are now in progress sources said.

It was revealed that special preference will be given to widows without proper income.

Electric fence to keep away jumbos

by S. M. Wijayaratne, Kurunegala

Since wild elephants have posed a big threat to human life and cultivated areas of all divisional secretary areas in the dry zone, the government has decided to put up electric fences to keep wild elephants away from villages where cultivation is carried out.

Mrs. Jayantha Bulumulla, the District Secretary of Kurunegala district says that she has got a sum of 316 lakhs of rupees from the Ministry of Nation Building and the Ministry of Disaster Management for the construction of the proposed electric fences.

Kurunegala District Secretary told Sunday Observer that the construction of this fences is now in progress and its maintenance will be handed over to the respective local bodies once the construction of the fence is completed.

Nine best SP Principals selected

by Richmond Wijesekera - Bentota Group

The Chief Minister Southern Province and the Minister of Education SP Shan Wijayalal de Silva selected nine best Principals from the Southern Province under a new scheme introduced by the Southern Province Education Department.

They received their awards and certificates from Governor Southern Province Dr. Kumari Balasuriya at a ceremony held at Galle Town Hall recently.

The nine best Principals from the Southern Province: Rev. Talawe Dharmarama Thera (Principal, Dr. Richard Pathirana Vidyalaya, Uluwitike, Galle), K. Mathilal (Principal, Ananda M.V., Kithulampitiya, Galle), Chandana Bandara (Principal, Sumangalodaya M.V., Kalahe), B. K. Richard (Principal, Arthadakshi K.V., Totagoda), J. Jagoda (Principal, Sumangala Vidyalaya, Kurunduwatta), H. M. Punchi Bandara (Principal, Hiyare M.V.), Jagath Jayawardene (Principal, Wijaya K.V., Ihalagoda), K. Bopage (Principal, Wijayananda K.V., Hinidumgoda), S. K. Jayasinghe (Principal, Sobhita Vidyalaya, Watareka).

No pears in N'Eliya

by P. Rajaratnam in Nuwara Eliya

It is sad to note that Nuwara Eliya which was once famous for luscious Pear fruits which were plenty in the entire Nuwara Eliya was destroyed permanently. Thirty seven years ago with the Cyclone which swept the entire Bartticaloa area in 1971. The effect of which resulted this crop being completely destroyed by fungus disease called 'Soab'.

According to Agricultural Researchers, some of the leading Pear cultivators continue to have the old Pear Trees in their garden for the sake of posterity. But they do not bear fruits. These Pear cultivators say that they made several representations to the Government authorities and the Research Institute at Sita Eliya and the Top Scientists available at the Ceylon Tea Research Institute at Talawakelle. But nothing came out favourable to them.

These cultivators request the Minister of Agriculture D. M. Jayaratne to atleast take up the matter with foreign agricultural experts.

They further point out that the Pear trees bear fruits in places like Ragalla, Gonapitiya, even at Kandapola which is a few miles away from Nuwara Eliya with almost the same climatical conditions prevailing.

Lozenges collection from father to son

by Nimal Wijayatunga - Eheliyagoda Special

A 60-year-old Trader in Matuwagala nearly ten kilometres off Eheliyagoda town had a very rare collection of 90-year-old colourful lozenges.

According to M. G. S. K. Melegoda he has a collection that consists of 72 small sample bottles with the sweets he got which from his father.

"My father was a grocer and this lozenges case was presented to him by friend who was a lozenges dealer prior to world war-II" he said.

Melegoda said several lozenges and toffee manufacturers had offered him large sums of money for his precious collection, but he refused to sell them.

"My father preserved this collection for us. So it should be my duty to protect this for our future generations" he said.

New dual track between Panadura and Kalutara

by K.A. Perera Wadduwa Special

The Minister of Transport Dallas Alhapperuma will declare open the new dual rail-track from Panadura to Kalutara South railway station and the new-bridge across the Kaluganga today October 5, at 4.00 pm.

The minister will also inaugurate the construction work of the dual-track from Kalutara south railway station to Alutgama. The General Manager of railway Lalithasiri Gunaruwan and the district ministers and the members of the parliament, will also take part in the event.

The opening of the dual rail-track up to Kalutara south railway station will help the commuters to greater extend and the trains would be able to operate in time.