Govt identifies land for Industrial Estate in Jaffna

Colombo: The government is planning an Industrial Estate in Jaffna for which 53 acres of have been identified at Atchuvely, Presidential Secretariat sources said.

The sources said that this would be under the first phase of the Government’s programme to develop Greater Jaffna so as to provide job opportunities and uplift socio-economic standards.

The sources said that the Security Forces Commander Jaffna, Maj Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri had granted approval for the release of the land identified for this project was adjoining the High Security Zone around Palaly Base.

Jaffna GA K. Ganesh said the proposal was taken up by the Chairman of the Northern Special Task Force (NSTF) Minister Douglas Devananda.

He said that a meeting in this connection was scheduled to take place with the participation of the Minister of Rural Industries S. B. Nawinne at the Ministry tomorrow.

Chairman of Lanka Cement Ltd., Sisira J. Paranagama said that the Government had commenced the rehabilitation of the former CEB Power Station at Chunnakam to generate 35 mega watts of power to consumers in the Jaffna district.

'The rehabilitated power station would be handed over to the CEB for transmission of electricity to consumers who are supplied power at present by private operators.'

The Deputy Director of the Jaffna district Reawakening project (EX – GA Mannar) V. Visvalingam told The Island that under a programme commenced by the Ministry of Nation Building, the Valukkaiaru Rehabilitation Project commenced with funding of 268 million provided by the World Bank for a drainage canal to be constructed 14 kilometers in length from Tellippalai to Araly in Jaffna.

Similarly the Thondamannaru Rehabilitation Project commenced with funding from the government to construct a salt water extrusion gate.

Both these projects will be carried out by the State Engineering Corporation along with the Government Factory and supervised by the Provincial Irrigation Department.

The Valukkaraiaru Drainage Rehabilitation Project will prevent water from going waste into the sea and irrigate 61 tanks.

The Thondamannaru project will prevent high sea water from entering the Jaffna lagoon.

Both these projects will ensure that groundwater is charged and the quality of water is improved and farmers will have water for highland cultivation and the cultivation of paddy during the Yala season.

The Jaffna Reawakening programme comes directly under Project Director P. H. Sugathadasa who is based in Trincomalee.The second stage will run parallel to the other projects and is aimed at uplifting the socio economic standards of people in 25 identified villages in the Jaffna district, the source said.

'We have mapped out a programme to enhance the income of the local population in the 25 villages and increase economic activities between each other and we hope to promote economic development through livestock, poultry and home gardening development,’ the source said.

Some of the identified villages are Kokkanai in Kopay, Thuraiyamoolai in Point Pedro and Analathivu in Kayts.

'We would give each village 6 million rupees and each villager would receive Rs. 6,000 per head and balance 3 million would go for livelihood activities strengthening the organizations and balance for infrastructural development in the village.

'We will ensure that all women are drawn into the savings habit through the village development organizations at grass root level and the Bank Of Ceylon'.

All these development programme have been initiated on the advice of the senior advisor to the President and Member of the Northern Special Task Force Parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa and the Chairman of the Northern Special Task Force Minister Douglas Devananda, the Presidential Secretariat, source said.