Ground water polluted in Jaffna, drinking water, a scarce commodity

by Naalir Jamaldeen reporting from Jaffna

Pure drinking water is the main problem faced by the people in the Jaffna district. They depend on ground water. Water sources here are polluted with the use of chemicals including fertiliser for agricultural purposes and mixing of oil with ground water, Jaffna district GA, S. Arumainayaham told the Sunday Observer.

Most of the people depend on ground water for drinking and agriculture. Contamination has caused a severe impact in the lives of the people. New arrangements are crucial to solve the problems of the people who are affected by the contamination of water. People in the district have been made aware of the harm caused by contaminated water for drinking.

Programs to supply pure drinking water have been inaugurated in the affected areas. Nearly 7,000 families in the Thellippalai and Uduvil Divisional Secretariat Divisions have been affected with the contamination of water.

There is a fear that this number would increase if a solutions was not found immediately. The relevant authorities should solve this problem. Testing the wells in the affected areas has begun by the Water Supply and drainage Board. At the initial stage drinking water is supplied to people in the affected areas. The relevant Divisional secretariat offices are also helping for this program.

A special Task force consisting of members from Provincial councils, Pradeshiya Sabhas and the Central Government.has been set up by the Jaffna District Secretariat to find a solution to this problem.

The Jaffna district achieved tremendous development after 2010 Arumainayaham said. "Unemployment among the youth in the district is the next problem which should be addressed by the Government. There are over 30,000 unemployed youth in the Jaffna district. Over 3,000 graduates in the district have already been given employment. We have conducted job fairs in the concluded recent past. We have given employment to 2,000 youth in the district last year and the year prior to last year", the GA said.

"We plan to set up industrial parks to address the unemployment problem among the youth in the district, Achchuveli Industrial zone development works are progressing. Once the project is over 2,000 youth in the district will receive employment", he said.

'We also have requested at investors who are to invest in the Jaffna district to pay attention on tourism and garment industry which would generate large number of employment opportunities to youth in the district. We are conducting surveys on these concepts. We hope that way will arise to bring these industries to Jaffna district in the future", Arumainayaham said.

"When a country is free of bribery and corruption, it will achieve the peak of development and sustainable development can also be ensured. I welcome the good governance policy of the new Government. I believe the Government will take necessary steps to eliminate bribery and corruption from the country. When there is good governance there will be no room for corruption and bribery", he said.

A large number of people in the Jaffna district depend on agriculture specially paddy cultivation and fruit production. A large number of paddy and fruit cultivators were affected by the drought and rains. They lost even the means to get the seeds. They should be given assistance to begin cultivation. If they were given raw materials or financial assistance the agriculture and fisheries sector will bloom while improving the economy of large number of people depending on this industry, he said.

Due to the recent drought the fruit producers were also affected. Fruit producers will develop the industry if the Government gives subsidies or assistance to start cultivation.Chavakachcheri Divisional secretariat Division is famous for paddy cultivation.

Valigamam is famous for fruit production, Uduvil for potato cultivation. Potato cultivation is conducted in a major scale in Urumbirai area.We have sent the harvest season list to the relevant Ministries. And the same list has been sent even to the Sathosa. We have to purchase the production of farmers through Sathosa and Multi Purpose Cooperative Societies.