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SENIOR PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR Basil Rajapaksa MP who is also the Chairman of the Uthuru Vasanthaya program yesterday reiterated that the full machinery was now in place to speed up the de-mining in the North to resettle the displaced civilians as it is a prerequisite for the resettlement of the displaced civilians safely.
He refuted allegations by the Opposition that the Government was deliberately delaying the resettlement of IDPs saying that the delay was only to ensure that the land is safe for resettlement through an intense de-mining operation.
"There is no deliberate delay in the resettlement of IDPs as alleged by certain elements," the MP added.
"We are inspecting every inch of land to ensure the safety of the civilians that are going to be resettled in the former war zone areas," he added.
For this we are using all the techniques and technology and specially trained dogs to clear the land mines.
He said that he personally inspected the de-mining process in the Giant tank area in the Mannar district where de-mining is carried out with the use of expert knowledge and latest technology to expedite the process.
Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP made these observations yesterday at a ceremony to lay the foundation for the Kokavil transmission tower to improve telecommunication and mass communication facilities in the entire Northern Province.
The Kokavil transmission tower will be an open tower to facilitate the state and private sector TV and radio stations, telecommunication providers both from the State and private sector and the communication facilities for Security Forces and the Police in the Northern Province.
The project is a joint venture between the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission and the Mass Media and Information Ministry.
The highest location in the entire Northern Province, Kokavil, has been selected to erect this tower. The telecommunication tower in Kokavil was destroyed in 1990 by the LTTE.
Addressing the gathering Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP said the Government will rehabilitate and reconstruct all the schools, hospitals, highways, roads and irrigation systems ravaged by three decades of war when resettling the displaced civilians in the North.
He said the erecting of the telecommunication tower is a part under the Uthuru Vasanthaya program to improve the telecommunication facilities in the North.
Mass Media and Information and Investment Promotion Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said that it was on the instruction of President Mahinda Rajapaksa that a proposal was mooted to construct this transmission tower in Kokavil.
"The right to information is a fundamental right of the people. The President has given special emphasis to this project to improve communication facilities in the North and is keenly following the progress of this project," the Minister added.
Once the project is completed the people of the North will have better access to mass media and telecommunication and also internet facilities.
Minister of Nation Building Rohitha Abeygunawardena, former Chief Minister of the Western Provincial Council Reginald Cooray,TRC Director General Priyantha Kariyapperuma, Rupavahini Corporation Chairman Ariyaratna Ethugala and Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Chairman Hudsan Samarasinghe were among those present.
Kokavil Transmission Tower
*Height: 172 meters
*Areas covered: Vavuniya, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Jaffna districts
*A joint venture by Mass Communication and Information Ministry and the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission
* Cost: Rs.400 million
*The Tower was destroyed by the LTTE in July 1990
*Kokavil was recaptured on December 01, 2008
(Courtesy: Daily News)
