Government's accelerated projects transform people's lives:

Vavuniya, now a hive of activity

By P. Krishnaswamy reporting from Vavuniya

Interestingly, we did not see any trace of the three-decade long war on terrorism anywhere in the Vavuniya district during our recent tour for an eye-witness report of the Government's development programs and the life of the resettled families. We found everything untouched and unscathed; roads, buildings,residential areas, buildings of state institutions and installations, business premises and the railway lines. President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited the district immediately after the historic defeat of terrorism and his visit marked the acceleration of all such projects and today the whole district which is surrounded by lakes, lavish vegetation , large extents of paddy fields and varieties of highland crops, is bustling with life and activity.

The sights were an eye-sore prior to the military victory, with ruined houses and buildings, collapsed ceilings riddled with bullet holes; roads with potholes and crates, shutters pulled down on business establishments and streets virtually deserted. There were several check points where people had to meekly dismount from buses and other vehicles and walk a distance carrying their belongings. It included the infamous Omanthai check point and the no-man's zone where people bound to the North had to change over to other buses. These are like dreams of the unfortunate past. Buses now ply to every nook and corner of the country. We found bus services to Colombo every fifteen minutes.

In the words of former TNA parliamentarian for the Wanni district Sivanathan Kishore, who is the President's Coordinator at present who we met in Vavuniya:

“Until LTTE terrorism was military defeated four years ago the people suffered untold miseries and hardships for thirty long years. They lived in a state of fear and uncertainty,displaced from their homes. But after the liberation from the clutches of the terrorists, they are leading a peaceful life. They have been resettled in their places of original residence and are back in their traditional professions. There is a gradual improvement in the living condition and income levels. We cannot expect the Government to do everything overnight. But the Government is doing all it can to restore everything back to them at an accelerated pace mainly focussing on improving their socio-economic condition.

The A9 Road at Puliyankulam Junction

The new post office at Nedunkerni

A new building constructed with funds from the Ministry of Economic Development

“They are beginning to forget their harrowing experiences of the past. There are no restrictions on fishing including on inland fishing. The traditional agricultural families and fisher families are back in their professions without any hindrance . The Vavuniya district is a region full of small lakes or ponds and every place is named after such lakes or ponds such as Rambaikulam, Marambaikulam, Welikkulam or Puliyankulam ( the Tamil word ‘Kulam” denotes lake).

“With the help of the Indian Government the restoration of the railway line up to Kankasenthurai is now under way, presently services are operating up to Omanthai. Frequent bus services are operating to every nook and corner of the district and to all parts of the country. Bus services to Colombo and other Southern towns and the Northern areas are operating every 15 minutes mainly because Vavuniya is a central spot. There are six train services operating from Vavuniya to Colombo and the same number from Colombo to Vavuniya. Since all highways have been carpeted and fully rehabilitated the people are able to travel to distant places in a comparatively short time.”

Vavuniya is often referred to as the gateway to Vanni. Vavuniya used to be a front line town in the war on terrorism until the Army advanced northwards during the 2008 SLA Northern offensive. The main activities were focused on the over 300,000 displaced people from the entire region who were housed in the Manik Farm and Cheddikulam welfare centers and in houses of relatives and friends.

The District GA M.K.Bandula Harischandra , who coordinated our visit to resettlement areas and project sites, said that the district secretariat had up to now accomplished ninety five percent of the targets in the education, health, livelihood development , road development and power supply sectors in terms of the ‘Mahinda Chintana’ concept, under the directions and guidelines of the Special Presidential Task Force for Northern Development and the line ministries. He has submitted new proposals on these sectors for the years 2013 to 2016 to the Government, he said. While medical and health care facilities have been extended to remote rural areas, physical and human resources have been considerably increased in the education sector, with assistance and support from the Northern Provincial Council, he said. The assistance, support and cooperation extended by the Ministries of Economic Development , Finance, Health, Public Administration and other line ministries have been extensive and invaluable, he said.

Over 99 percent of the displaced families have been resettled in their former villages or places of domicile and the Welfare Camp functioning at Menik Farm in his district was closed 10 months ago, he said.

Paddy cultivation is undertaken in an extent of 18544 Ha and the annual production has reached 83,000 tonnes. All abandoned arable lands have been cleared and utilised for cultivation. The targeted achievement of paddy cultivation by the year 2016 is 129,200 tonnes . Focus has been laid on increasing agricultural productivity primarily because it is an agricultural region with fertile soil and the enhanced irrigation facilities available after the renovation and rehabilitation of tanks that previously remained neglected. The cultivation of paddy and Other Field Crop (OFC) have been undertaken in larger areas after clearing abandoned arable lands. Fruit crop cultivation at present is 10,700 tonnes and is targeted to be increased to 24,000 tonnes by the year 2016. Vegetable cultivation is undertaken in a land area of 30 Ha. The other methods for increasing production of OFC will include improved varieties of seed and planting materials and providing the necessary machinery to the farmers.

A ‘chillie special expansion program’ will be implemented to reduce the import. Seven acres of land in Navi, 01 acre in Kanagarayankulam and 57 acres in Kallaru have been earmarked for initially introducing the program. The Government Seed Production Farm has enough stocks of mangoes, grafted mangoes, oranges, lime, jak, papaw, drumsticks , and vegetable seedlings. The farm expenditure is Rs.4.3 M, while farm income is Rs. 5.67 M and the stock in hand is worth Rs.3.00 M.

According to reports of the Director of Development for the district, all disconnected, damaged and dilapidated highways and roads, including rural roads, have been renovated and rehabilitated. As at December 2012, Rs.25,349.611 M was allocated for various projects. Of this Rs.13,151.837 M has already been spent by the relevant project implementing agencies as at December 2012 . The remaining work under the projects is continuing. The allocations include allocations from the Ministry of Economic Development under the Divineguma, Re-awakening and Pura Neguma road development projects, the Decentralised Capital Budget (DCB), North-East Community Development Projects, NRCP Road projects, Conflict Affected Region Emergency (CARE) road development projects, CARE Irrigation projects, Road Development Authority (RDA) China-funded projects, Dry Zone Urgent Water Supply Projects, Japanese-funded projects, Irrigation ( Central and Provincial) projects, Zonal Education Director's projects, CEB ‘Vadakkin Vasantham’ projects and Government Agent's projects.

As at December 2012, Rs.10,827.000 M has been allocated for implementing 176 projects. The entire number of projects has been completed and the expenditure recorded as Rs.10,825.000 M. Under the Divi Neguma program Rs.9.203 M has been allocated for 13 agricultural, animal husbandry and cottage industry projects and all 13 projects have been completed at an expenditure of Rs.9.201 M . Rs.3.066 M has been allocated for 11 projects by the Department of Samurdhi , Vavuniya and the entire 11 projects have been completed at a cost of Rs. 3.060 M . Under the Drought Relief Program of the Economic Development Ministry Rs.10 M has been allocated for 22 projects and 75 percent of the projects has been completed.costing Rs. 9.686 M and the remaining work is in progress. Under the Rehabilitation of School Buildings of the Zonal Director of Education, Vavuniya, Rs.7.000 M has been allocated for 14 projects which have been completed. Under the ‘ Re-awakening’ projects of the Ministry of Economic Development Rs.333.392 M has been allocated for 130 projects ( water supply, buildings, flood damage rehabilitation, road development , irrigation and livelihood capacity building) and 85 projects have been completed at a cost of Rs. 133.698 . The other projects are nearing completion.

Rs.504.66 M has been allocated for 53 projects under the Emergency Northern Recovery Project (EnREP). Rs. 211.35 M has been spent for completing 24 projects and work on the other projects is in progress. Under the North-East Community Development Project (NECORD) Rs.167.140 M has been allocated for 30 projects and completed at a cost of Rs.144.313 M. Under the District Development Works program, Rs.429.241 M has been allocated for 36 projects which include rehabilitation of roads, market building, guest house building and service centres. Twelve projects have been completed at a cost of Rs.158.982 M while work on the remaining projects is continuing. Under the Road Development Department's Northern Roads Connectivity Program Rs. 980.340 M has been allocated for 7 projects.

One project has been completed and work on the other 6 are in progress. Under fund allocation of the CARE Rs.365.362 M has been allocated for 3 projects on road rehabilitation in the district. Implementation of the projects is in progress with an expenditure of Rs.133.000 M already incurred. Under the CARE program another Rs.12.210 M has been allocated for 12 projects of tank renovation . Two projects have been completed while the others are in progress.

Under the Road Development Authority's China-funded program Rs.15,333.385 M has been allocated for the rehabilitation/reconstruction of about 200 Km of B 296, B 334 and A 009 highways and about 70 percent of the work has been completed at a cost of Rs.10,949.192 M.

Under the ADB-funded program of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board Rs.5850.000 Mn has been allocated for a major water supply program covering many parts of the Northern province. Under the JFPR 9150 “Post-Conflict Emergency Assistance for Livelihood Restoration of Resettled Internally Displaced Persons of the North” project Rs.12.054 M for road clearing at 12 villages in Vavuniya , Vavuniya South and Vavuniya North and Vengalacheddukulam divisions of the Vavuniya district have been allocated. Projects in three villages have been completed and the remaining work is in progress.

These staggering allocations, unprecedented on a district-level , are aimed at restoring the district to its former glory as a commercial and agricultural nerve centre while uplifting the socio-economic condition and standard of living of the people.

We went to a resettlement area in Nedunkerni, Vavuniya North for an on-the-spot reporting. The 80 minute drive along the carpeted A9 road was exhilarating; flanked by jungle terrains of swaying trees, jungle shrubs and vegetation, patches of clearings, long stretches of paddy fields - some harvested and straws strewn by grazing cattle, completed and uncompleted houses and buildings ; a small townships , schools , an ayurvedic hospital, a new hospital building, people and schoolchildren cycling and walking in groups. Also could be seen the reconstructed and rehabilitated railway lines , electricity towers and power lines running parallel to the A9 road.

We talked to some people walking along the road and at the Rambaikulam resettlement village about two kilometres from the small Nedunkerni township. There are about 250 resettled families and we talked to some . Contrary to our fears they were not hesitant and were willing to talk. Our inquiries revealed that ninety percent of the families had partially or fully constructed their houses with Government assistance. Some of them also had received assistance from INGOs. But a few families have not built their houses nor dug their drinking water wells for reasons incomprehensible.

All of them blamed the LTTE for their miseries, displacements and losses. They appreciated the development works implemented by the Government in their areas and said they are happy and had peace of mind although they encountered certain livelihood problems.

Kandiah Muthukumaru ( 65 ) is a traditional farmer who proudly and nostalgically showed one international award and several national awards he had won as the best farmer. A Justice of the Peace and chairman of a local farmers’ association, he is also engaged in social service . He had to renovate his house on three occasions because it was damaged in the crossfire and artillery shelling, he said. He owns large extents of paddy fields and irrigates with facility from the nearby tank. He is also engaged in other agricultural activities . Although the Government had implemented major programs for the uplift of the farmer communities, the benefits of such projects had not reached them, he said. For instance, there were power lines along the main road but the repeated requests of the villagers for power supply to the village has not been complied with so far, he said.

Thillainathan Sotheeswary (43) , who had lost her husband to artillery shelling in a crossfire between the LTTE terrorists and the Government forces six years ago in Mathalan in the Mullaitivu district had returned to her former village with her three daughters. She said she was doing labour work to bring up her children and educate them. In spite of the hand to mouth existence of her family, they are happy because there is peace and freedom of movement , she said. She said she sincerely welcomed all development activities of the Government which had transformed their village and the surrounding areas as a hive of activities.

Two young women , Rajasulochana (24) and Vijaya (25) wearing colourful sarees and carrying their infants were on their way to visit relatives. They have other children , the eldest now attending school they said. They had married young to evade LTTE conscription. Their husbands are masons by profession . They have built their houses with assistance extended by the ASP organisation and were getting a regular income. They are grateful to the Government for restoring peace, for providing the infrastructure facilities and giving them a new hope.

A 30 year old had come to Rambaikulam resettlement village from Sooduvendan village, about 10 km away, to work as a daily paid assistant under a mason doing building constructions. He was hiding in the jungles for over a week to escape the LTTE's forcible conscription and had to get married at a young age for the same reason. His 10 year old son is now attending school, he said. His parents and he lost over 100 heads of cattle due to their displacement under the LTTE anarchy. He is happy that he is able to travel anywhere. Their lives have changed and they enjoye the freedom that has been offered to them by the Government, he said.

Ketheeswaran Sudharshini (23) is working as a trainee under Government Midwives on an allowance of Rs.6000/=. Her husband is a fish monger who rides his motorbike everyday to Mullaitivu to bring and sell fish, she said. Her father is a farmer and she has five younger sisters who are studying.

They were living as displaced refugees in Muillivaikkal in Pudukudiyiruppu and came to their village in Nedunkerni in 2010, she said. She said they are thankful to the government for restoring peace and freedom.