Hardy Institute will be elevated to university level with Deyata Kirula 2013:

Over Rs 50,000 m for development projects in the East:

Govt. focuses on regional development

By Mohammed Naalir

The Government is committed to develop the country after the elimination of terrorism. The country has achieved a major development within a short period. The Government makes use of the Deyata Kirula exhibition to expedite regional development. The Pallekele, Buttala, Oyamaduwa Deyata Kirula exhibitions have proved it.

The Deyata Kirula national development exhibition 2013 is to be held in the Hardy Technical Institute premises in Ampara covering Batticaloa, Ampara and Trincomalee districts and Polonnaruwa in the North Central province. The livelihood, economic and infrastructure development related issues identified in these districts will be addressed in line with the Deyata Kirula exhibition.

Attention has been paid to solve the human-elephant conflict, especially in the Ampara district, road development, water supply, agriculture and health sector development. Priority has been given to problems identified in the Divisional Secretariat Division by the District Development Committee.

The Government has focused attention on developing the Hardy Technical Institute into a complete technical education provider in the region. Lecture halls, auditoriums, hostels and laboratories are being constructed costing millions of rupees, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

Minister Siyambalapitiya made these observations during a media site visit organised by the Ministry of Mass Media and Information and the Government Information Department.

A road development site in the Ampara town.Pix: Thushara Fernando

69th Milepost bridge and culvert construction site

A two storied building for lectures is under construction close to Hardy Technical Institute.

Presidential Secretariat opposite Hardy Technical Institute (Proposed Government Employees' Training Institute)

Athugala bridge under construction

A two storied building, with 16 lecture rooms is being built at a cost of Rs. 380 million in close proximity to the institute. A major portion of the construction work of the building is expected to be completed before the Deyata Kirula exhibition. The building will also be used by the exhibitors, Minister Siyambalapitiya said.

He said: "An area about 400,000 square feet is required for the exhibition. The Government hopes to reduce the number of temporary tents and instead use the permanent structures as far as possible.

The Minister said: "Around 90 percent of the permanent structures constructed for the Deyata Kirula exhibition will be handed over to the Hardy Technical Institute.

"Focusing attention on regional development the Deyata Kirula exhibition was shifted from the Colombo city. The problems of the people have been solved parallel to the Deyata Kirula accelerated development program.

"A portion of the permanent structures were handed over to the Dalada Maligawa after the Pallekele Deyata Kirula exhibition. A major portion of permanent structures were handed over to the Defence Ministry consequent to the Buttala exhibition and Sri Lanka's biggest granary was constructed in the Oyamaduwa Deyata Kirula site in Anuradhapura, the Minister said.

Minister Siyambalapitiya who visited the Hardy Technical Institute said, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has entrusted the responsibility of developing the Institute parallel to the other technical education institutes in Colombo. The Minister described the development of the Hardy Technical Institute as the success of the Deyata Kirula exhibition 2013.

Most of the construction works are carried out by the State Engineering Corporation of Sri Lanka (SECSL).

The SECSL which was running at a loss has been elevated into a profitable institution under the Mahinda Chinthanaya national development paradigm. The Navy is engaged in the construction and improvement works of Hardy Technical Institute.

Tharindu Ravinath, a second year student of Hardy Technical College said, "up to now there were hardly any facilities for the students. There were many shortcomings in the laboratory, which had no facilities for the Agriculture Faculty students. The hostels were not in proper condition, and had not been repaired for many years. The farm was also in a bad state."

The Government is developing the institute parallel to the Deyata Kirula - 2013. A fully equipped agriculture laboratory is being built in the premises at a cost of several millions of rupees. The lecture halls are being developed while constructing new buildings.

The students of the Hardy Technical Institute paid their gratitude to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Minister Siyambalapitiya for taking steps to develop the institute.

A hostel is being constructed in the institute premises at a cost of Rs. 261 million. Rupees 10,261 million have been allocated to improve and develop facilities of the existing hostels. The Navy is volunteering the projects. We provide the raw materials. Nearly Rs. 800 million can be saved due to the contribution of the Navy in the Deyata Kirula development work, Minister Siyambalapitiya said. He said: "A four storied building is being constructed in the institute at a cost of Rs. 80 million to conduct lectures. The SECSL is engaged in the construction work.

"The agriculture area of the exhibition is being developed in an area nearly three and half hectares in extent which will be handed over to the Agriculture Faculty after the exhibition.

"The Ampara tank is being developed, the estimated cost of which is Rs. 12.5 million. Due to the contribution and dedication of the armed forces the cost can be cut down by half.

"Nearly 300 acres of lands come under the plough in the Maha and Yala seasons. The authorities expressed confidence that more lands would be cultivated during both seasons after the completion of the development work. The fishermen will also benefit immensely.

"There are 82 fisher families depending on the Ampara tank. A fisheries society building will also be constructed in close proximity to the Ampara tank.

"Plans are afoot to deploy a pedal boat service to entertain domestic tourists and the children and elders in the area. "A swimming pool is being constructed at the spill of the Ampara tank at a cost of Rs. 6 million to attract local tourists.

Meanwhile, a Day Care centre has been constructed in the Ampara District Secretariat premises at a cost of Rs. 10 million received from the Child Development and Women's Affairs Ministry.

The Government has allocated Rs. 13,168 million for the development of Ampara district, Rs. 8,852 million for Trincomalee, Rs. 8,243 million for Batticaloa and Rs. 15,112 million for Polonnaruwa to implement development projects parallel to Deyata Kirula - 2013. The exhibition site will come up in an extent of 273 acres and the site development work commenced on June 5, this year.

Steps will be taken to elevate the Hardy Technical Institute to the standard of a university.

A housing scheme with 30 housing units are being constructed at Pollebedda for the aborigines.

"There are 20 Divisional Secretariat Divisions (DS) consisting 503 Grama Niladari Divisions in the Ampara district. Development projects have been implemented covering all DS Divisions and Grama Niladhari Divisions in the district. Nearly 75 percent of deed and permit problems of the people have been solved on the instructions of President Rajapaksa", the Government Agent of Ampara Neel de Alwis said.

The human-elephant conflict will be addressed immediately. Steps have been taken to solve it parallel to the Ampara Deyata Kirula exhibition, he said.

On the directive of President Rajapaksa the Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa has allocated Rs. 125 m illion to implement programs to solve human-elephant conflict. A 248 km electric fence would be set up.

Kanangawa, Deegawapi, Walatthapitty, Sammanthurai, Addalaichenai, Akkaraipattu, Damana, Dehiattakandiya, Maha Oya and some other areas have been identified as vulnerable areas for elephant-human conflict. Steps have also been taken to solve the problems of the Ampara farmers. A paddy store with a 10,000 metric ton storage capacity will be set up in the Ampara Uhana area by the Government.

The building constructed for the Presidential Secretariat at the exhibition site at a cost of Rs. 50 million will be developed into a fully equipped training institute for Government employees in the district after the Deyata Kirula exhibition. Now Government employees in the district are sent to Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Passara or Colombo for training.

The Telecommunication & Information Technology Ministry has taken steps to set up 100 school computer centres at a cost of Rs. 3.5 million in the Ampara district.

Five bridges are under construction at a cost of Rs. 1,350 million in the Batticaloa and Ampara districts parallel to the Deyata Kirula exhibition 2013, site engineer of 69th Milepost bridge and culvert construction site, M.N. Riyal said. The construction work of the Maha Oya-Athugala bridge is progressing. The cost of the project is Rs. 154 million.

An 83 metre bridge and 23 metre culvert are being constructed along the Ampara Maha Oya road at the 69th milepost.

The Batticaloa, Panichankerny and Poolaveli bridges are also under construction, according to the site engineer. It is expected to be completed before the Deyata Kirula exhibition, he said.