The auspicious ground-breaking and cornerstone-laying ceremony for the Army’s proposed ‘Abimansala - 3’, the third wellness resort for 50 plus dependent War Heroes of the North Western Province (NWP) under the ‘Brave Hearts’ project of the Seva Vanitha Army Branch (SVAB), took place on Tuesday (22) at Pangolla in Ibbagamuwa Divisional Secretariat area.
The conceptual pioneer, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Army, who brought both earlier wellness resorts at Anuradhapura (Abimansala - 1) and Kamburupitiya (Abimansala - 2) to fruition, together with Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Chairperson, Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Seva Vanitha Unit and Mrs Manjulika Jayasuriya, President, SVAB graced the inaugural event as distinguished guests in the company of all representatives of sponsoring organization and well-wishers.
The ceremony at Pangolla saw thread-laying, first sod-cutting and the foundation-stone laying under the programme after observance of Pansil (five precepts) to mark the commencement of the day’s proceedings. The first sod to begin the construction was cut at the auspicious 10.13 a.m, followed by cornerstone-laying by the Chief Guest, Commander of the Army, Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Mrs Manjulika Jayasuriya and sponsoring representatives of the proposed main buildings, villas and cottages.
As members of the Maha Sangha, led by Most Ven Pallegama Siri Sumana Dhammarakkitha Siri Nivasa Thero, Chief incumbent for ‘Atamasthanaya’ in Anuradhapura commenced Seth Pirith chanting immediately after ancient rites and rituals were performed at the site, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Mrs Manjulika Jayasuriya and representative donors of 8 Villas and 3 Cottages, laid foundation stones for construction of the Wayamba Province ‘Abimansala - 3’ where some 50 plus North Western Province-resident dependent War Heroes are to be housed for life-time-care after erection. One of the leading Buddhist monks in the Kurunegala province laid the cornerstone to the shrine (Budu Medura) in the complex at the same minute.
The project, as it was the case in previous two instances, is to be completed by troops of the Engineer Service Regiment within a matter of less than a year at a cost of about Rs 360 million.
The serene 10-acre state land, allotted exclusively to the Army Directorate of Welfare for this noble mission borders Deduru Oya banks, overlooking the scenic Bathalagoda lake in Pangolla area and is to be supplemented with three spacious cottages, eight villas, a ward complex for 20 inmates, swimming pool, gymnasium, physiotherapy unit, medical wing, medical laboratory, library, indoor stadium, entertainment hall, auditorium, kitchen, herbal treatment, (Ayurveda) centre and a few other administrative units. Each villa costs Rs. 6 million and a cottage Rs. 4.5 million as per estimates.
Patronizing donors and well-wishers, pledged to bear the entire cost of all the eight villas in the new proposed ‘Abimansala - 3’ at Pangolla include Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development (Villa No 1), Mas Holdings (Pvt) Ltd (Villa No 2), Sri Lanka Insurance (Villa No 3), Singer (Pvt) Ltd (Villa No 4), Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel (Pvt) Company (Villa No 5), Wickremaratne Company (Pvt) Ltd (Villa No 6), Commercial Bank (Villa No 7) and Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment and Sri Lanka Artillery Seva Vanitha Unit (Villa No 8).
On behalf of Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development, who is to sponsor the Villa 01 in the project, Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Chairperson, Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Seva Vanitha Unit laid the foundation stone during the ceremony.
Similarly, Abans (Pvt) Ltd, Security Forces Headquarters - Jaffna and Sri Lanka Army Service Corps and Sri Lanka Army Service Corps Seva Vanitha Unit, have respectively undertaken the sponsorship for all three cottages in the new project. The entire project is estimated to cost about Rs 360 million upon completion.
The day’s ceremony at Pangolla this forenoon ended with the offer of alms (daana) to the members of the Maha Sangha who joined the inaugural ceremony. Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya personally served alms to the Maha Sangha and shared a few views with them.
Around 300 War Heroes, most of them in their prime youth, sustained multiple injuries during humanitarian operations and became totally disable or dependent. They are in need of 24-hour surveillance throughout the rest of their life-span, due to the gravity of their injuries, ranging from brain damage, spinal cord, total or partial paralysis, amputations, impaired vision, hearing, speech, etc, but non-availability of much-needed nursing care and other special therapeutic aids at domestic level, prompted the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya to initiate establishment of state-of-the-art special places of rest and relaxation for those veterans, in coordination with the SVAB’s ‘Brave Hearts’ fund-raising project, attaching prioritized importance to post-injury care of those disable defenders of the nation.
Ensuing overwhelming public support and able guidance and directions of both President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development, the Army, with the unfailing cooperation of the SVAB’s ‘Brave Hearts’ project, succeeded in establishing two of those resorts at Anuradhapura ‘Abimansala - 1’ and Kamburupitiya ‘Abimansala - 2’ in the past two years, in addition to the Attidiya-based ‘Mihindu Seth Medura’, erected by the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development for the same purpose. All these three wellness resorts, providing necessary mental, physical and medical care for over 150 dependent War Heroes are now fully functional, creating new glimmers of hope for life under the management of the Sri Lanka Army.
The conceptual pioneer, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Army, who brought both earlier wellness resorts at Anuradhapura (Abimansala - 1) and Kamburupitiya (Abimansala - 2) to fruition, together with Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Chairperson, Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Seva Vanitha Unit and Mrs Manjulika Jayasuriya, President, SVAB graced the inaugural event as distinguished guests in the company of all representatives of sponsoring organization and well-wishers.
The ceremony at Pangolla saw thread-laying, first sod-cutting and the foundation-stone laying under the programme after observance of Pansil (five precepts) to mark the commencement of the day’s proceedings. The first sod to begin the construction was cut at the auspicious 10.13 a.m, followed by cornerstone-laying by the Chief Guest, Commander of the Army, Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Mrs Manjulika Jayasuriya and sponsoring representatives of the proposed main buildings, villas and cottages.
As members of the Maha Sangha, led by Most Ven Pallegama Siri Sumana Dhammarakkitha Siri Nivasa Thero, Chief incumbent for ‘Atamasthanaya’ in Anuradhapura commenced Seth Pirith chanting immediately after ancient rites and rituals were performed at the site, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Mrs Manjulika Jayasuriya and representative donors of 8 Villas and 3 Cottages, laid foundation stones for construction of the Wayamba Province ‘Abimansala - 3’ where some 50 plus North Western Province-resident dependent War Heroes are to be housed for life-time-care after erection. One of the leading Buddhist monks in the Kurunegala province laid the cornerstone to the shrine (Budu Medura) in the complex at the same minute.
The project, as it was the case in previous two instances, is to be completed by troops of the Engineer Service Regiment within a matter of less than a year at a cost of about Rs 360 million.
The serene 10-acre state land, allotted exclusively to the Army Directorate of Welfare for this noble mission borders Deduru Oya banks, overlooking the scenic Bathalagoda lake in Pangolla area and is to be supplemented with three spacious cottages, eight villas, a ward complex for 20 inmates, swimming pool, gymnasium, physiotherapy unit, medical wing, medical laboratory, library, indoor stadium, entertainment hall, auditorium, kitchen, herbal treatment, (Ayurveda) centre and a few other administrative units. Each villa costs Rs. 6 million and a cottage Rs. 4.5 million as per estimates.
Patronizing donors and well-wishers, pledged to bear the entire cost of all the eight villas in the new proposed ‘Abimansala - 3’ at Pangolla include Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development (Villa No 1), Mas Holdings (Pvt) Ltd (Villa No 2), Sri Lanka Insurance (Villa No 3), Singer (Pvt) Ltd (Villa No 4), Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel (Pvt) Company (Villa No 5), Wickremaratne Company (Pvt) Ltd (Villa No 6), Commercial Bank (Villa No 7) and Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment and Sri Lanka Artillery Seva Vanitha Unit (Villa No 8).
On behalf of Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development, who is to sponsor the Villa 01 in the project, Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Chairperson, Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Seva Vanitha Unit laid the foundation stone during the ceremony.
Similarly, Abans (Pvt) Ltd, Security Forces Headquarters - Jaffna and Sri Lanka Army Service Corps and Sri Lanka Army Service Corps Seva Vanitha Unit, have respectively undertaken the sponsorship for all three cottages in the new project. The entire project is estimated to cost about Rs 360 million upon completion.
The day’s ceremony at Pangolla this forenoon ended with the offer of alms (daana) to the members of the Maha Sangha who joined the inaugural ceremony. Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya personally served alms to the Maha Sangha and shared a few views with them.
Around 300 War Heroes, most of them in their prime youth, sustained multiple injuries during humanitarian operations and became totally disable or dependent. They are in need of 24-hour surveillance throughout the rest of their life-span, due to the gravity of their injuries, ranging from brain damage, spinal cord, total or partial paralysis, amputations, impaired vision, hearing, speech, etc, but non-availability of much-needed nursing care and other special therapeutic aids at domestic level, prompted the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya to initiate establishment of state-of-the-art special places of rest and relaxation for those veterans, in coordination with the SVAB’s ‘Brave Hearts’ fund-raising project, attaching prioritized importance to post-injury care of those disable defenders of the nation.
Ensuing overwhelming public support and able guidance and directions of both President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development, the Army, with the unfailing cooperation of the SVAB’s ‘Brave Hearts’ project, succeeded in establishing two of those resorts at Anuradhapura ‘Abimansala - 1’ and Kamburupitiya ‘Abimansala - 2’ in the past two years, in addition to the Attidiya-based ‘Mihindu Seth Medura’, erected by the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development for the same purpose. All these three wellness resorts, providing necessary mental, physical and medical care for over 150 dependent War Heroes are now fully functional, creating new glimmers of hope for life under the management of the Sri Lanka Army.
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