Meeriyabedda Victims Enter Army-built New Houses

Sri Lanka Army-constructed 75 new houses in Makaldeniya, close to Diyaluma in Koslanda Divisional Secretariat area for the displaced in the Meeriyabedda landslide tragedy were vested in the recipients as a gift, prior to the forthcoming ‘Deepavali’ festival (Oct 29) during a recent ceremony, attended by a host of Ministers, State Officials, recipients and civilians.

Army engineers of the 17 Corps of Engineer Services Regiment, troops of the 5 (V) Sri Lanka Light Infantry, 18 Gemunu Watch and 3 (V) Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment serving under the Security Force Headquarters - Central (SFHQ-C), offering their professional expertise and labour, completed the construction of those 75 houses on the directions of the Commander of the Army at the request of respective authorities. Each house cost Rs 1.9 million for the government.

The project, coordinated by Brigadier C.S Atipola, Project Coordinator, kicked-off on May 1, 2015 under the supervision of the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), Major General (Retd) L.B.R Mark, Director, DMC, respective District and Divisional Secretariats and the Security Force Headquarters - Central (SFHQ-C).

The opening ceremony of the new housing scheme on October 21 at Makaldeniya was attended by Minister of Disaster Management, Hon Anura Priyadharshana Yapa as the Chief Guest, along with Deputy Minister of Disaster Management, Hon Dunesh Gankanda, Minister P Digambaram, Major General (Retd) L.B.R Mark, Director, DMC, Major General P.U.S Vithanage, Commander, SF-C, Brigadier C.S Atipola, Project Coordinator, State officials and a large gathering.