New lease of life for remote Velanvita, Akkara Seeya in Haldummulla-by Camelia Nathaniel

the Haldummulla area

Development work in the Haldummulla area is continuing at a pace after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s visit to the area a few months back where the President was privy to first hand information on the needs of the villagers in this area. (Pictures by Sagara Lakmal de Mel,President’s Media)

The Velanwita and Akkara Seeya villages in the Haldummulla area in the Badulla District where the residents were suffering from extreme poverty and lived with the least amount of facilities, are now experiencing a stage of rapid development. The majority of the proposed development goals have already been fulfilled and the rest is expected to be reached within the next two months, according to the President’s Office.

The President’s Media Unit stated that around 48,000 residents live in Haldummulla in the Badulla District which is the most underprivileged Divisional Secretariat Division in the Badulla District. However, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had embarked on an inspection tour of these two villages Velanwita and Akkara Seeya in the Haldummulla area in the Badulla District during his programme “in conversation with a village” on September 25.

The residents had informed the President that the villagers are leaving this area due to the lack of basic facilities and the President had promised the villagers to rectify these issues within three months and develop the roads, provide them electricity, water and schooling needs.

Accordingly, a rapid development drive was initiated under 51 projects involving 19 state institutions. The President paid special attention to road development. Five kms of the12 km long Akkara Seeya – Velanwita road has been developed by laying concrete.The remaining seven km has been carpeted. The time taken to travel from Akkara seeya to Velanwita will be reduced from one hour and thirty minutes to just 20 minutes after completion of work. The Sri Lanka Transport Board plans to add a bus service to the road as soon as construction is completed.

Construction of Gampaha – Velanwita, Kalipanawala – Halkanna, 100 acre – Kakkutuarawa and Beragala – Wellawaya roads has also commenced.

The lamp posts for power supply are being installed and the wiring will start immediately. Once completed, SLT and Mobitel are ready to the meet communication requirements of the area.

The National Water Supply and Drainage Board has completed the feasibility study report and estimate for the supply of drinking water as well.

The Army’s Engineering Services Regiment is in charge of the construction of the new building at Kumaratenna College, Velanwita. Construction of the four-room building began on September 4.

Construction is expected to be completed before the new school term commences. Construction of the new classroom building at Soragune College has already been completed. Teachers have been appointed to cover all subjects as a solution to the shortage of teachers in schools.

New principals have been appointed to the Wellawaya – Gampaha Vidyalaya and Janananda Vidyalaya. Haputale Tamil Maha Vidyalaya has been included in the project for developing 1,000 schools as national schools.

The construction of the Kotabogasthenna sports ground was completed and handed over to the villagers recently.The Surveying of 187 plots of land have been completed and the remaining surveys are scheduled to be completed before the end of the year.

Releasable lands belonging to the Departments of Wildlife and Forest Conservation will be awarded to farmers who have traditionally cultivated under the permit scheme.

The Department of Agriculture has taken steps to implement several programs to encourage farmers to cultivate cinnamon and pepper. Further, 57 farmers are engaged in pepper cultivation in Kumaratenna village in an extent of 160 acres.

An organic village development pilot project is underway and the Velanwita Cinnamon Processing Center is under construction where eventually 31 farmers will benefit from this project.

The Geological Survey and Mines Bureau and the District Coordinating Committee are working hand in glove to promote the traditional pottery industry where 18 families are engaged in the pottery industry.

Construction of an electric fence to prevent elephants entering these villages, has been initiated from Pathaha to Ice Peella. The electric fences at Velanwita and Kumaratenna which were in a dilapidated state have been repaired and reactivated.

During the President’s visit to Kumaratenna he had inspected the house of Sarath Ranatunga, which was destroyed by a wild elephant. On the instructions of the President, the Sri Lanka Army has built a three-room house for him.

Over a long period of time no government had paid attention to the grievances of the residents of Haldummulla. Therefore, the residents of these villages expressed their gratitude to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the government for the development program launched in the Haldummulla village.