Army troops, intending to help fishermen with provision of technical know-how that would match with most modern techniques of fishing, slated to increase their fish harvest, recently conducted a special workshop for local fishermen in Vakarai area under 233 Brigade.
Use of old and traditional fishing methods and equipment continuously by fishermen has deprived them of bigger catches and more profits since they do not have any access to new knowledge on modern technology.
The Army organized workshop, attended by over 100 fishermen in the area was supported by Ambalangoda ‘Negenahira Parisarika Sanwardhana Padanama’ who provided professional expertise to the workshop. At the end of the workshop, organizers gifted five environment-friendly battery-powered electric lamps to selected fishermen which can be used instead of traditional petrol lamps used for fishing. Local branches of the Bank of Ceylon and the People’s Bank offered opportunities for soft loans that would enable the fishermen to purchase those new lamps.
Mr Lal Emmanuel, the Manager, ‘Negenahiru Environmental Development Foundation’, Colonel T.D. Weerakoon, the Brigade Commander, 233 Brigade, Mr Nagalingam Thirichiyan, Pradeshiya Sabha President, Mr Kannappan Ganeshan and managers of Bank of Ceylon and People’s Bank branches in Valachchenai were in attendance during the workshop at 2 (V) Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment camp.
In the meantime, 233 Brigade Headquarters organized a series of lectures on bio-diversity to school students in the area and officers and other ranks attached to the 233 Brigade Headquarters at Vakarai Maha Vidyalaya during (4 - 5 August 2010). Among resource personnel were Dr. S.R. Krishna Raja, a lecturer at Open University, Mr. Jayantha Jayawardena and Mr Sudath Abeysinghe of Bio-diversity Association.
About 400 students and 60 teachers took part in the programme and a booklet on Bio-diversity in Tamil was also distributed among the participants on the occasion. In addition, students who excelled in education from several schools in the area were awarded special gifts to encourage them.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
