Boost for agriculture in North

by L. S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

An agricultural rehabilitation project will soon be launched in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya and Mannar districts under the "Uturu Wasanthaya" program.

Tanks, paddy fields and buildings were completely destroyed by LTTE terrorists during the last three decades.

The Agrarian Services Commissioner General Ravindra Hevavitharana said that a fact-finding survey was being conducted by District Secretaries, together with Divisional Secretaries of those districts with the assistance of the Army.

The LTTE had not allowed any government officers access to Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mannar districts.

The Commissioner General said that the government's agricultural development programs were implemented successfully in Jaffna district which was liberated from the LTTE terrorists a few years ago. Jaffna farmer organisations resumed dispatch of their surplus harvest including chillies and potatoes to the Colombo market through the recently opened A9 road.

Agrarian Services Centres-ASCs which served as the livewire of the Government Agrarian Services resumed their role in successfully catering to the needs of the Jaffna community.

There were 553 ASCs all over the island and Jaffna district had 14 ASCs. Village level Farmer Committees had been set up under ASCs. Farmer requirements such as fertiliser, hand tractors and other agricultural implements were being supplied to the farmers through ASC network of the Department, he said.The CG also said that the government expects to reactivate Agrarian Services Centres as early as possible in Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu districts which earlier had 8, 10 and 12 ASCs respectively.

The detailed blueprint of the tanks, canals, and buildings reconstruction and rehabilitation project will be received soon.

The final report will be completed within a few days, he said.A spokesman from the Nation Building Ministry said that the mines and unexploded ordnances (UXOS) had been cleared in Mannar and Vavuniya town areas. It is in progress in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts, he said.

The reconstruction of Giant's Tank and Iranamadu Tank launched under the Asian Development Bank assistance has registered progress, he said.