Fillip to Eastern and Northern farming communities
April 19, 2019The Eastern Province is known for its vast paddy fields and irrigation tanks. Agriculture is one of the main sources of livelihood of a majority of the people in this region. These paddy lands are fed water by a myriad network of large and small irrigation tanks spread across the region. These tanks can be called the lifeline of the region's agricultural community which is made up of people of diverse ethnic groups.
Recently, troops under the Security Forces - East (SFHQ-E) took up and successfully completed the task of cleaning the Nedunkulam and Vettikulam irrigational tanks in the Eastern region. According to Army media, this community welfare programme was carried out under the closing ceremony of the 'Rata Wenuwen Ekata Sitimu' (stand together for the country) project which was held at the Weber stadium in Batticaloa recently. The measure to clean up these tanks were taken after requests made by farmers in the region.
The 'Rata Wenuwen Ekata Sitimu' project spearheaded by the Presidential Secretariat saw the tank cleaning programme and the construction of 25 trade stalls for under privileged families in the Sathurukkondan area being carried out to coincide with its concluding ceremony on the 12th (April). Troops also distributed 5500 lunch packets to the large number of people attending the ceremony. Troops' contribution towards this national endeavor was made under the guidance of Commander, Security Forces - East, Major General Aruna Jayasekara.
Meanwhile, troops in Jaffna taking a step closer towards building bridges of friendship and reconciliation, put their labour and machinery to use to renovate the tank near the Arali Shettiarmadam Periyathambiran temple in Vadukkoddai, in response to a request by the local farmers. Troop under Security Force Headquarters - Jaffna (SFHQ-J) renovated this tank which had earlier been used for irrigation purposes within a few weeks' time. This project was carried out under the supervision of Commander, Security Forces - Jaffna (SF-J), Major General Dharshana Hettiarrachchi.
