101 more new houses, built solely with labour and expertise of the Army troops at the Security Force Headquarters - Mullaittivu (SFHQ-MLT) for the greater benefit of displaced Tamil people in Mullaittivu area under the Phase - 2 of Keppapilaru Model Village project, were vested in civilians on Thursday (3) during a ceremony, headed by Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development as the Chief Guest.
Thursday’s ceremony, attended by Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army, commenced after the day’s Chief Guest symbolically handed over the keys of the first house to the beneficiaries in the Keppapilaru Model Village. Mr Rajapaksa was warmly received by Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army, flanked by Major General Jagath Dias, Commander, SFHQ-MLT.
Day’s arrangements, set in motion on the instructions of Major General Jagath Dias, Commander, SFHQ-MLT, also included release of paddy land to rightful owners and formal handing over ceremony of nine more Army renovated houses of civilians in Vellamullivaikkal area, in addition to the ceremonial opening of those newly-built 101 houses.
Later on Mr Rajapaksa laid the cornerstone for inauguration of the Phase - 3 of the Keppapilaru Model Village which expects to construct 66 more houses before the keys to 100 recipients of new houses were delivered on Thursday (3).
Mr D. Vedanayagam, District Secretary for Mullaittivu made the welcome note at the start of the ceremony after the traditional oil lamp was lit by day’s invitees. One of those 101 recipients during the ceremony spoke in Tamil and expressed his pleasure and gratitude towards the initiatives of the SFHQ-MLT.
As one more segment of the ceremony, award of formal certificates for release of paddy lands in Vellamullivaikkal East, back to 29 owners, also took place during the same ceremony.
Accordingly, 98 acres of paddy land, hitherto used by Sri Lanka Air Force on grounds of security purposes, were returned to the owners, giving them certificates of release.
Completion of the construction of all 293 new houses in this Keppapilaru Model Village project, funded by Ministry of Resettlement, has been undertaken by the troops under the SFHQ-MLT.
Colourful cultural features, presented by child dancers of the Keppapilaru Model Village, entertained the gathering, attending the ceremonies.
To this date, out of 293 proposed new houses in the Keppapilaru Model Village project, Army Engineers have built 151 new houses with the resources, made available to the Army by the Ministry of Resettlement.
In the meantime, troops have selected 20 houses of below general standards and offered their assistance to renovate them free of charge as gestures of goodwill and reconciliation. Nine of them have been so far renovated with Army resources.
Meanwhile, Mr Rajapaksa and Lieutenant General Ratnayake on their way back to Colombo paused at 2 Engineer Service Regiment (ESR) at Tissawewa, Anuradhapura where a new solar power station was inaugurated.
This was the first time an Army camp is to be lighted up using solar power with assistance of CECT International from China.
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