Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has instructed relevant authorities to immediately stop giving permission to fragment coconut lands in North Western Province.
The President also advised Provincial Council, Urban Council and the Coconut Development Authority (CDA) to make necessary procedures if there is any essential requirement for fragmenting coconut lands.
During a special coordinating meeting held at Kurunegala Divisional Secretariat Wednesday (07), the President noted that fragmenting coconut lands indiscriminately has raised issues such as price increase and environmental issues as well.
The progress of projects conducted in Kurunegala district regarding 443,349 families living in 4,432 villages in 30 divisional secretariats, were discussed during this meeting, and these projects are designed to give benefits for the people living in this area.
The special attention was given for the projects designed for educational, health, highways, agricultural, water, irrigation and other areas. The Government has already carpeted 660 km of road out of the 836 km of national road network in the Kurunegala district and the remaining road extend to be carpeted is 176 km. The President instructed the authorities to expedite those construction activities.
The construction works of the road from Mirigama to Kurunegala of the second phase of the Central Highway Project were also discussed at the meeting.
The progress of the Wayamba Ela Project, the Climate Change Mitigation Project, the Deduru Oya Reservoir Project and the development of Mahagalgamuwa Ela were also reviewed.
Special attention was focused on fulfilling the drinking water needs of 1,694,000 of people living in the Kurunegala District.
It was revealed that the ‘Visal Kurunegala’ Water Supply Project is at its final stage and 65 percent of the construction works of the Galagedara Mawatagama Water Supply Project, covering the Mawatagama, Mallawapitiya Divisional Secretariats, have already been completed by now.
At present the implementation of the Polgahawela, Pothuhera and Alawwa integrated water supply project, Deduru Oya water supply project and the Anamaduwa Integrated Water Supply Project have already commenced.
President Sirisena instructed the relevant officials to release the required amount of Rs.100 million in order to activate these water systems.
The program for reconstruction of reservoirs is being conducted in parallel to this project and of the 2400 reservoirs in five provinces, 371 reservoirs are in Kurunegala district. President Sirisena also stressed the need to operate that program successfully.
He inquired on the progress of the programs conducted within the district from the officers regarding the national food production program, National drugs prevention program, National chronic kidney prevention program and national program on environmental conservation.
Special attention was given to the disaster management program conducted on behalf of the affected public due to the main climatic issues prevailing within the district and other issues such as wild elephant rampages.
Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, S.B. Nawinna, Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Rauff Hakeem, Duminda Dissanayake, Vijith Vijithamuni Soyza, and Ravindra Samaraweera, State Minister T.B. Ekanayake, Deputy Ministers Indika Bandaranayake, Ashoka Abeysinghe, J.C. Alawathuwala, Tharanath Basnayake, and Shantha Bandara, Governor of the North Central Province Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake, Chief Minister Dharmasiri Dassanayake and other provincial ministers, District Secretary of Kurunegala Gamin Ilangaratne and other government officers were present in this event.
