55 Division troops by 12th September 2010 have been able to successfully resettle 1083 displaced people, belonging to 349 families in the north and south of Champiyanpattu, Maruthunkarny, Vathirayan, Uduthurai and Aliyavalai in 551 Brigade and 553 Brigade areas under 55 Division Headquarters.
Most of the people in those coastal areas, formerly held by LTTE terrorists as their strongholds, had to vacate their houses when the LTTE intensified its cycle of violence before the war came to an end in 2009.
In conformity with the government’s ongoing Northern Spring ‘Uthuru Wasanthaya’ programme, on the instructions of the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, the Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna (SFHQ-J), launched a mega housing project for displaced people in the peninsula. Accordingly, each battalion was vested with the task of constructing 75 new houses in each area under SFHQ-J. Most of those houses were constructed using tin sheets, local raw materials, etc in addition to cement and sand.
Those displaced 349 families remained housed at Ramavil Rehabilitation Centre, Kodikamam until last Wednesday (8) as displaced people before arrangements were made for their return to original areas of residence.
Under the Stage 1 of the programme, resettlement took place in 6 Grama Niladari (GN) Divisions on the instructions of the General Officer Commanding, 55 Division after the returnees were categorized into three groups, based on earmarked housing arrangements. The resettlement continued for three days (September 10 -12).
Minister for Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Mr Douglas Devananda (MP) during the ceremony handed over Rs. 5000/= to each resettled family. In addition, two Sri Lanka Transport Board buses were also made available on the same occasion to shuttle across those resettled areas.
On the sidelines of the main ceremony, the newly refurbished Out Patients Department (OPD) at Muruthenkerni Government Hospital was also opened. This new wing has been renovated by the soldiers of the 37th Battalion of Sri Lanka National Guard. Stocks of school books to the children in newly resettled families during this function were also distributed.
Prior to above resettlement, a special meeting, aimed at coordinating supply of essentials to the newly resettled people took place on Friday (10) at the 551 Brigade Headquarters, Vettalkeni, Jaffna, headed by District Secretary for Jaffna Ms Imelda Sugumar.
The meeting focused largely on those resettled families, their requirements and post - resettlement infrastructure development roles, needed to be activated by different state and security agencies. The meeting also reviewed ongoing development projects in the 55 Division area, with special attention on supply of material support for their livelihoods in the future.
It was attended by Maruthunkarny Assistant Divisional Secretary, District Director for Health Services, Chief Accountant for Jaffna, Assistant Secretary for Local Government, Chief Engineer for Road Development Authority, Chief Engineer for Department of Road Development, Assistant Commissioner for Provincial Council, Secretary to Pradeshiya Sabha, Area Manager for Sri Lanka Transport Board, Deputy General Manager for Sri Lanka Electricity Board, Deputy General Manager for Water Resources and Drainage, Zonal Director of Education, Assistant Director for North East Rehabilitation Project, Assistant Project Director for Nation Rebuilding and a few more Jaffna based administrators.
The meeting identified areas where more and more focus and priority was needed and further evaluated already completed development projects in the area. Ms Sugumar took up several related issues for discussion during the meeting and wanted state officials in attendance to accelerate continuation of specified projects.
General Officer Commanding for 55 Division, 551, 552 and 553 Brigade Commanders also took part in the discussion.
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