Batticaloa district ignored in post-war 'development'

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 September 2010, 11:38 GMT]
“Colombo Central authority is taking steps to issue water from Unnichchai Tank in Batticaloa district to Sinhala people disregarding appeal made on behalf of Tamil people to the authority concerned. Colombo government has begun suspending 'development' works in Paduvaankarai area and plans to allocate lands in the area to foreign companies and the resources entitled for Tamil people are being given to the Sinhala community. The Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) and its Governor are answerable and should bear responsibility for the injustice done to Tamil people in the area,” R. Thurairatnam, member of the EPC said.

“Colombo government and the EPC are ignoring the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Paduvaankarai area in Batticaloa district that has been totally affected by three decades of war and natural disasters. Colombo and provincial authorities are shifting development works allocated to Paduvaankarai area to other areas in a systematic manner,” Thurairatnam said.

“The construction of bridges in Vavu’natheevu area, reconstruction of Vavu’natheevu-Aayithiyamalai road and construction of culverts and small bridges have been suspended.

The construction of Chaththurukko’ndaan Road at a cost 700 million rupees funded by the Asian Development Bank was suspended a year ago. There was no progress in this regard.

A sum of seven hundred million rupees allocated for the development of Paavatkodichcheanai village in the Vavu’natheevu DS division in Batticaloa district by the Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) was withdrawn for no reason.

Some ministers in the Colombo government are taking steps to allocate lands in Paduvaankarai area to foreign companies to start factories. An Iranian company is likely to given land for pine apple cultivation while local farmers struggle to find enough pasture lands for their cattle and for food crops,” Thurairatnam further said.