Drinking water scheme for IDPs

P. Krishnaswamy and Vavuniya Spl. Corr.

A drinking water scheme at a cost Rs. 12 million was inaugurated last Wednesday at the Madagudaithakulam Rehabilitation Village in Vavuniya where 270 IDP families are housed.

The reservoir tank has a capacity of 34,000 litres and the scheme was funded by the OXFAM. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Divisional Secretary S. Sivapalasundaran, OXFAM representatives and government officials. The displaced families who have been living in the rehabilitation village for five years had to fetch drinking water from places two km away, reports said. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has, in consultation with the Indian High Commission in Colombo, decided to shift the Indian field hospital from Pulmoddai to the Menik Farm Welfare Village in Chettikulam in an effort to further enhance the medical and health facilities of large number of IDPs.

The process of shifting the hospital with its doctors numbering 50 and other staff has already started, reports said.