THE Seva Vanitha Branch at Ministry of Defence (MoD), engaged in construction of 700 new homes to War Heroes and their families across the island, handed over one more newly-built home under the scheme at Rukmalgama, Kottawa to the beneficiaries during a brief ceremony on Tuesday (15).
The 700 House Construction scheme, initiated by Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, President, Seva Vanitha Branch, Ministry of Defence (MoD), as her wing’s newest brainchild, enables War Heroes, possessing their own plots of land across the country to receive this housing bonanza, through the MoD Seva Vanitha Branch. Work on such Seva Vanitha funded-houses in Kandy (30), Kurunegala (30) and Matara (30), as the first phase of the mega project, is already on.
The family of late War Hero, Sergeant J.S.A.S Jayasekara was the beneficiary of this new nestle, sponsored by 306 C-1 Pelawatta Lion Club, on the invitation of the MoD Seva Vanitha Branch. The War Hero, Sergeant J.S.A.S Jayasekara (10 Artillery) paid the supreme sacrifice in a terrorist attack on 8th March 2009 and his family had afterwards become desperate without a shelter to call their own, though they owned a piece of land.
Their plight had been brought to the attention of the MoD Seva Vanitha Branch through the authorities at Defence Service College in Colombo 2 where late War Hero’s little daughter was studying.
Responding to the need, Mrs Rajapaksa on 25th March 2010 inaugurated the construction work of this house after laying the foundation stone. Engineer Service Regiment soldiers provided their contribution to the project and ensured its completion within a span of 75 days.
Mrs Rajapaksa on arrival at the site early on Tuesday (15) for the house-warming ceremony was warmly received by the widow of the late War Hero and Mrs Kumudini Wanigasuriya, Vice President, Sri Lanka Artillery Seva Vanitha Unit. A plaque at the main entrance of the new house was afterwards unveiled by Mrs Rajapaksa, symbolizing the importance of the gesture before the ribbon across the main door was ceremonially cut at the auspicious minute, in the presence of District Governor Lion Saliya Kaluarachchi of 306 C-1 Pelawatte Lion Club, Lion Anil de Silva, President Pelawatte 306 C-1 Lion Club and other invitees. Late War Hero’s widow after receiving the keys opened the main door and entered the new house to light the traditional oil lamp, amidst Pirith Chanting by members of the Maha Sangha.
As guests looked on, late War Hero’s widow symbolically boiled a pot of milk and invoked blessings on the premises, in accordance with age-old traditions. A short meeting followed the main house warming ceremony. The project, completed at a cost of Rs 1 million by the Lion Club with the cement donation by Ms Kumari Soyza, was considered a tribute to the memory of the fallen War Hero. The inmates also received valuable gift parcels on the occasion.
Mrs Indu Ratnayake, Vice President, MoD Seva Vanitha Branch, Major General R.K.P Ranaweera (Retd), Major General Wasantha Kumara, Ms Kumari Soyza, MoD officials and several invitees attended the ceremony.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
