26th March 2018 12:11:39 Hours
Giving fresh impetus to the Army-pioneered ongoing 'Ranaviru Haritha Arana’ project in parallel with the government's mega 'Wanaropa' national drive, the east-based 22 Division Headquarters launching its own state-of-the art scheme, ‘Ranaviru Saviyen Haritha Ratak’ inaugurated the distribution of more than 6000 saplings of different species such as, Cashew, Jack, Kumbuk, Kohomba, Siyambala, Mahogani and Madan of environmental and economic value among on Sunday (25) during a ceremony, headed by Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, Commander of the Army.
More than 70 students, principals and teachers from 15 Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim schools in the district and troops of the 22 Division under this arrangement received those saplings after assembling at the 22 Division Headquarters in Trincomalee.
Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, Commander of the Army, commencing the initiative as the Chief Guest for the occasion, symbolically planted the first sapling and inaugurated the 22 Division programme, together with Major General Santhusitha Pananwala, Commander, Security Forces - East (SF-E) and Major General Aruna Jayasekara, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 22 Division who is the brainchild of the project. Officials of the Ministry of Environment, District Forest Office and a host of Senior Officers of the Security Force Headquarters - East (SFHQ-E) who were present for the inauguration either received seedlings or contributed to the programme by receiving seedlings.
The Army-initiated ‘Ranaviru Haritha Arana’ programme, to be in consistent with the ongoing national ‘Wana Ropa’ project, declared by HE the President in accordance with ‘Haritha Gammana’ concept, got to a formal start a few months back in the Army farm at Kandakadu, Kantale by planting some 1500 saplings of rare species.
Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, taking a personal interest in this regard, encouraged all island-wide Army formations to use their additional land space inside their camps for this worthy purpose of national importance. Accordingly, many formations across the country took to tree planting practice. The project was sponsored by the 57 Division Headquarters and District Forest Office in Trincomalee providing those saplings to the project.
The day’s ceremony at 22 Division Headquarters began afterwards with the traditional drive-past salute. The programme, organized under the auspices of Major General Aruna Jayasekara, General Officer Commanding, 22 Division, was attended by Senior military Officers, school principals, teachers and several other senior state officials.
Lieutenant General Senanayake after religious observances at the shrine in the 22 Division offered Atapirikara to Ven Ahungalle Siri Sila Visuddi Nayake Thero and received blessings from him before other military formalities were done.
The visiting Commander ended his visit by speaking to 22 Division troops. He also left his thoughts in the visitors’ book before he left the premises.
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