False picture of resettlement projected, says GA

by P. Krishnaswamy

Sections of the media and certain Tamil political leaders are trying to portray a false picture with regard to the resettlement of the 165 families, the last batch to return to Koppapilawu in the Mullaitivu district, Government Agent N. Vedanayagan told the Sunday Observer.

They are carrying out a false propaganda campaign that the families have been left in jungle areas, infested with snakes, to fend for themselves, he said. The families are temporarily settled in mango and coconut groves in makeshift shelters constructed by the army using building materials and tin-sheets brought from the Menik Farm that was closed down recently, the GA said.

The Resettlement Ministry has already allocated funds to build 50 housing units in a model village in Sooriyapuram at Rs.775,000 for each unit and construction work is being carried out by the army.

Work on the construction of houses for the 185 families will be completed before April 2013 with the requisite infrastructure and other facilities including roads, running water, health care centres and schools, the GA said.