ACHC briefed on plans to rebuild North
by Ananth PALAKIDNAR
The Government has worked out extensive plans to rebuild the Western
Northern Province with enhancing the educational facilities, developing
the agricultural sector and reconstructioning the places of worship in
the cards according to Chairman, Presidential Task Force for
Resettlement Development and Security in the Northern Province and
Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP.
Rajapaksa met delegates of the All Ceylon Hindu Congress (ACHC)
(Federation of Hindu Religious Association and Trusts in Sri Lanka) at
Temple Trees last Thursday. Justice and Law Reforms Minister Milinda
Moragoda was also present at the event.
The ACHC delegation was headed by its President V. Kailasapillai
General Secretary of the Association K. Neelakandan and several
prominent members of the ACHC also met Rajapaksa.
Kailasapillai, who is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of
Thiruketheeswaran Kovil in Mannar sought the assistance of the
Government to arrange for sculptors from India to come down and complete
the architectural work using the pillars which had already been brought
from Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu by the Trustees and awaiting installation
at the Kovil.
Rajapaksa said that he would contact the High Commissioner for India
in Sri Lanka and the Foreign Secretary of India and expedite the matter.
He further informed the delegation that he has planned to develop the
environment of the Thiruketheeswaram Temple and also assured that
necessary roads will be repaired and constructed to that the devotees to
Thiruketheeswaram can conveniently visit the Kovil.
Neelakandan informed Rajapaksa that a large number of devotees from
India are anxious to come to Thiruketheeswaram Kovil for the next Maha
Sivarathri which falls on March 13, 2010.
Rajapaksa said that the planned development and improvements will be
done before this date.
The delegation told Rajapaksa that through Hindu institutions in
Jaffna and Mannar, the ACHC with the assistance of Manitha Neyam Trust
will make arrangements to look after the needy children who are now
being released from IDP camps. Minister Moragoda, briefed Rajapaksa on
the steps taken to establish a Rehabilitation Centre at Colombo Hindu
College, Ratmalana with the assistance of the ACHC.
Rajapaksa will be meeting the members again to discuss the
Government's plan to develop the Northern Province with the assistance
of the civil society.
Neelakandan requested Rajapaksa to improve the educational facilities
in the North, and added that the University of Jaffna and schools in
Jaffna could be given priority in the proposed development. Rajapaksa
explained the steps already taken by the Government in this regard.
He also stated that Mankulam will be developed as the new political
city of the North, and that Jaffna will remain as the commercial city of
the North.
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