Urumpirai Family Receives Record-breaking 770th Army-built New House

Surpassing all previous records where a single entity has built so many houses for poverty-stricken Northerners without costing a single cent to the government coffers, the Army troops in the Jaffna penninsula with sponsors' support completed the construction of the record-breaking 770th New House in Urumpirai for another needy family and warmed it on Tuesday (4 July 2023) during a simple ceremony.

15 Sri Lanka National Guard (SLNG) troops of the 511 Infantry Brigade under the 51 Infantry Division of the Security Force HQ-Jaffna, together with Major A.D.S.D Athukorala, officiating Commanding Officer of the 15 SLNG offered their technical skills and manpower for construction of this house with funds made available jointly by overseas-based Mrs Haily Madison, Mr Daniel Milan Balaraj and 'Vanni Aid of Canada' organization through the effective coordination of Major General Ravi Rathnasingham (Retd), resident in Canada who has taken the lead in regard to the house construction project for needy ones in the North.

The beneficiaries, Mr and Mrs Sandeepa Vimalakaran in Urumpirai have three clever school-going children with exceptional skills for studies and the Principal and teachers at Ramakrishna College, Kondavil having noticed their knack for learning and competencies, studying have reached the troops in the nearby area for assistance and suggested the construction of a suitable housing facility for this family as the father of those children has also been sick for some time and under medical care for several health complications. However, the mother of the family had her own piece of land in Urumpirai, suitable for erection of a house.

Troops accordingly in consultation with the General Officer Commanding, 51 Infantry Division, Major General S.W.B Welagedara RSP USP ndc undertook the responsibility of the construction with the blessings of the Commander, Security Forces-Jaffna on 8 March 2023 after laying the corner-stone and completed the project within four months.

The Commander, Security Forces - Jaffna (SF-J), Major General S.R.K Hettiarachchi RWP RSP VSV USP ndu psc as the Chief Guest joined the warming ceremony of the new house, along with beneficiaries, Officers, Other Ranks, recipients' relatives, villagers and invitees, held in accordance with Hindu religious rites and rituals.

During the brief warming ceremony, the Jaffna Commander presented the symbolic key, several household gifts and dry ration packs to the family. The General Officer Commanding of the 51 Infantry Division, SFHQ - J, Police Officers, Staff Officers, Brigade Commanders, Senior Officers, Other Ranks, Grama Seva Official, state officials of the area, family members of the beneficiary, relatives and neighbours were also associated with the inaugural ceremony.