Boost for development in Trincomalee

By Mohammed Naalir

Trincomalee which was a ghost city is turning into a hub of prosperity and the district is being developed.

Developed Trincomalee General hospital

A Developed stretch of road along the A-6 Road

The newly Trincomalee District Secretariat building

Health, education and industrial sectors are being developed in the Eastern province on par with other provinces.

The Government has fulfilled the long-felt need of the people of Kinniya by constructing Sri Lanka's longest bridge across the Kinniya bay along the A-15 road. The Irakkakandy, Pudawaikaddu Yan-Oya bridges also take significance among the bridges constructed by the Government in the Trincomalee district, Eastern Province Chief Minister Najeeb Abdul Majeed said.

He was addressing a workshop organised by the Government Information Department under the theme the Role of Provincial Journalists in district development at Trincomalee District Secretariat.

"President Mahinda Rajapaksa implemented major livelihood and infrastructure development projects in the country while combating terror", the Chief Minister said.

"President Mahinda Rajapaksa has taken all possible efforts to make Sri Lanka a Wonder of Asia. He has also created an environment in which Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims could live peacefully" the Eastern Province Chief Minister said.

"We are working round the clock to take the lead in development and education. Officers and teachers work tirelessly to achieve this goal. Steps have also been taken to improve the health conditions of people", the Chief Minister said.

He expressed confidence that the Eastern province will be a developed province soon. The media should give prominence to news bulletins about the development projects implemented in the province. The Development of a country and the media go hand in hand, Chief Secretary of Eastern Province Sarath Abeygunawardena said.

"The Eastern Provincial Council has implemented a large number of development projects in the Trincomalee district. Rs. 5,000 million has been allocated to implement development projects in the Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara districts. We have implemented various development projects in the province utilising these funds", he said.

Education and social development is taking place in the villages parallel to the cities in the district. The Health sector is also improving in the villages. Sustainable and balanced development is taking place at the village level on par with the urban areas, he said.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has allocated funds to develop the Kaluwanchchikudy hospital into a special hospital in the Batticaloa district. Several institutions has come forward to contribute to the development of this district, he said.

More than half the population is engaged in agriculture and in fisheries. Some are engaged in self-employment. There are 3 A class inter provincial access roads, 7 B class inter provincial access roads, 41 C class and 65 D class inter district roads in the district, the Trincomalee District Secretary said.

He said that 105.78 kilometre long A class road and 115.51 long kilometre B class inter provincial road already have been renovated, 36.55 kilometre long A class inter provincial road and 17.25 kilometre long B class inter provincial road are being renovated.

Meanwhile 73.67 kilometre long C class inter district access road and 19.30 kilometre long D class inter district road have been renovated. The 14 kilometre C class and 9.80 kilometre long D class inter district access road is being renovated. He said that 76.92 kilometre long B class inter provincial road, 106.26 kilometre long c class inter district access road and 87.82 kilometre long D class inter district access road yet to be renovated.

Sri Lanka's longest bridge along the A-15 road across the Kinniya Bay was constructed at a cost of Saudi Riyal 720 million.

A new building for the Trincomalee District Secretariat was constructed at a cost of Rs. 400 million. The Central bus stand has also been constructed with all facilities. The Government Information Department has been assigned the duty of creating awareness among the public of the development projects implemented by the Government. The ultimate goal of development can be achieved only when it is implemented with the participation of people. Due to this cause the Government Information Department has taken steps to make the public aware through media personnel in the region, Deputy Director of Informations, Hilmi Mohammed said.

The Government Information Department also works as a bridge between the Government and the media institutions of the country, he said. A few decades ago the development was measured by the development of the capital city. Now this trend has changed. The Government has given equal prominence under the Mahinda Chinthana national development concept when implementing development projects.

Roads, bridges and culverts and other important structures have been developed in the district. The people in the district enjoy the outcome of development now, Deputy Director Mohammed said.

Earlier it took a couple of days to get to Muttur from Trincomalee town or Kinniya and vice versa. The time gap has been bridged due to several bridges being built at a cost of millions of rupees and by developing the road network.

The Trincomalee hospital is functioning since the Portuguese era. The hospital was known as the Trincomalee Base Hospital from 1935 and was upgraded as a General hospital in 2002, Trincomalee General Hospital Superintendent Dr. E.G. Gnanakunalan said.

Dr. Gnanakunalan said this is the only main hospital serving the entire district. The patients are also brought to this hospital even from the border villages of Anuradhapura like Horowpothana. The Superintendent said that nearly 642 OPD patients come to this hospital daily. The OPD system has been computorised. This has made the work of doctors easy and patients benefit.

He said that an average of 1387 patients are transferred to this hospital for further treatment every month. We have doctors for all categories except a Neurologist and a cardiologist. There are six operating theatres. X-ray facilities are also available.

An Orthotic and Prosthetic Unit also function in the Trincomalee Base hospital.

Meanwhile a gender based violence unit is operational under the psychiatric unit. There are two counsellors, one is dealing in Tamil and the second is in Sinhala, Dr. Gnanakunalan said.

The Army, Navy, police, Air force and home guards extended their service to develop this hospital.

They painted beds, repaired cupboards. They come once a month and carry out improvement works voluntarily at this hospital.

There is a children's play area in the paediatric ward. All facilities for children have been developed at the ward, he said. There is a fully equipped eye-clinic at this hospital and a large number of patients come to the eye-clinic.

A bio gas plant has also been set up. Garbage is converted to bio gas. Food for patients is also cooked using gas from the plant.

The Trincomalee General hospital should be developed into a model hospital in the district, Dr. Gnanakunalan said. An oxygen concentration plant has also been set up at this hospital. We distribute oxygen to the Army, Navy, and all other hospitals in the district.