04th June 2020 11:18:40 Hours
Transforming the surroundings around the Army Headquarters at Sri Jayawardenepura to be more of people-friendly nature, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, the brainchild behind the launch of the Army’s ‘Thuru Mithuru - Nawa Ratak’ cultivation and beautification project, completed the Phase - 4 of the development plan this evening (3) by opening and illuminating the extended entire ‘Jogging Track’ of 2.6 km in length.
The Chief Guest for the occasion, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva at the invitation of the Master General Ordnance (MGO) Major General Prasanna Chandrasekara at the AHQ unveiled a granite plaque to this effect and vested the Jogging Track in the public after illuminating the entire patch with new lamp posts. The plaque noted that “the protection of the environment and its further promotion is the best solution for the well-being of human-beings while minimizing climate changes. Unless the protective course of action to conserve the environment is not taken from now on, the next generation would have to face dire consequences as many global instances clearly depict.
The incumbent HE the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa when he was the Secretary Defence carried out projects such as urban beautification, tree planting, walk paths for PT, re-harvesting of abandoned paddy lands, etc. After reviving the same project again, HE the President has implemented projects to make the country self-sufficient in rice and carries out beautification and various related projects, for which the Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva contributed under the ‘Thuru Mithuru Nawa Ratak’. It began on 30 December 2019 and completed its Phase-4 on 3 June 2020”, it added.
The Phase-4 of the ‘Thuru Mithuru Nawa Ratak’ project poised to present the public with a panoramic view over the surroundings and offering physical fitness opportunities was brought to completion by troops at the HQ Battalion of the new Army Headquarters under the close supervision of the Commanding Officer of the HQ Battalion at the Army HQ. Phases 1, 2, & 3 of the projects were completed during December 2019 and March 2020.
On 23 December 2019, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, adding one more lead to the national drive for afforestation and beautification of the country, coincident with the government’s environment-friendly Green Project concept for urban forests, green paths, green roofs and agro-forestry systems kicked off its mega ‘Thuru Mithuru - Nawa Ratak' project (Phase - 1) by planting 170 ‘Araliya’ saplings along the road running from central Environmental Authority Junction up to the entrance of the Army Headquarters.
Again on 14 January 2020, the same project’s (Phase - 2) in line with the government’s ‘Saubhagye Dekma’ (Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour) policy statement of HE the President, re-ploughed an abandoned and unattended 12 acreage of paddy fields. On the same day, 140 saplings of ‘Mee’, ‘Karanda’ and ‘Koboneela’ were also planted on both sides of the road stretch of about 1.7 km that leads to the Army Headquarters.
Phase - 3, providing a slew of community-oriented public utilities, Army-related ancillary services and opening of several exhibits at the entrance to the Army Headquarters got underway on 6 March 2020. It also saw the ‘Thuru Mithuru - Nawa Ratak’ main signboard was opened, followed by the newly-constructed 2 km-long walking track for the public, 3 new zones for physical training with accessories and beautification of the Army-renovated roadside lake by installing water fountains and release of shoal of fingerlings to newly-dug lake. Running sports | Zapatillas de running Nike - Mujer
