Friday 30th October, 2009 Work on major Irrigation projects progressing rapidly by Franklin R.Satyapalan dividends to the farmers. The water is diverted from the tribu- cultivate nearly 1,800 acres of paddy Implementation of the Deputy Director of Irrigation Nimal tary of the Kirama Oya. The project during both Yala and the Maha. Government’s ambitious projects to Siriwardena said the Deduru Oya diver- was launched in 2005. Rs 273 million The Weli Oya Project will harness harness the waters of the Menik sification project was launched in 2006 had been granted by the Japanese Bank the waters of the left bank of the tribu- Ganga, Deduru Oya, Rambukkan Oya, at a cost of Rs 6,200 million. It was of International Cooperation (JBIC) for tary of the Walawe river in the Kirama Oya, Walave Ganga and funded by the Treasury. Over 25,000 its implementation. Farmers in Kirama Moneragala District. The project was Dambulu Oya for agricultural and farmer families will be able to get water and Walasmulla will be able to cultivate launched on October 6, 2007. It has an Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara pres- drinking purposes in the dry zones of for cultivation and drinking purposes. over 3,800 acres and also get drinking underground channel carrying water to ents the Sramabhimana Award to the country has proved to be very suc- It would benefit the villagers mainly in water once the scheme is completed. feed 50 minor tanks in the district Construction and Engineering cessful and was progessing rapidly, the dry region of the Wayamba The main dam would be 20 metres high enabling it to suppy water to 2,000 acres Services Minister Rajitha Senaratne for his commitment to Trade Union Director General of Irrigation (DGI) H. Province (NWP). It will also supply 15 and 375 metres long. The reservoir will of paddy land. The main dam would be activities. P. Shelton Somasiri said on Wednesday. Mega Watts of Hydro Power to the hold 2.7 million cubic metres of water. 70 metres long. The water from the He said the water diversification National Grid. Nearly 90 per cent of the project has reservoir will be carried to a distance of projects were initiated by Minister of The work, ably handled by local been completed. 25 kilometres to Hambegamuwa tank Civil Aviation, Ports Development and experts, is progressing rapidly. The The Wemedilla Resorvoir Project which has the capacity to hold 1.25 mil- Sri Lanka – Irrigation Chamal Rajapaksa under the labour force is drawn from the villages will utilize water of the Dambulu Oya lion cubic metres of water and at same Mahinda Chinthanaya proposals. close to the sites. After the completion coming under the Dambulla and time the Mau ara and the Walawe ara The Menik Ganga project was com- of the main dam, the reservoir will hold Galewela Divisional Secretariat areas are to be rehabilitated before the com- Bulgaria Business pleted in October 2008. It diverted water 75 million cubic metres of water to irri- and the JBIC is providing the necessary pletion -of this project . to Weheragala enabling 18,000 farmer gate 25,000 acres of paddy. funds. The Uma oya project to provide Forum on Nov. 1 families, in the Lunugamvehera area, The Kekiri Obada Project comes The main dam is 1,800 metres in water to farmers in the Moneragala to cultivate their fields both in the Yala under the Walasmulla Divisional length and 12 metres in width. It has District is yet in the designing stage. The Federation of Chambers of and Maha seasons. It had brought rich Secretariat in the Tangalle electorate. two sluice gates and supplies water to Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka, with the support of the Foreign Ministry, has programmed a Sri World Habitat Day Essay Competition Lankan- Bulgarian Business Forum for Sunday November 2009, from 9.00 Two students in Vavuniya Deshabandu Victor Hettigoda’s services appreciated to 12.00 hrs, at Hotel Taj Samudra, The Seventy-fifth (75) Colombo (Crystal Lower Ballroom), on IDP camp win 1st places anniversary celebrations of the occasion of the visit of a Siddhalepa was held recent- Bulgarian Business delegation that Two students living in Vavuniya ly at the Hilton Hotel, will accompany the President of relief villages were adjudged winners in Colombo under the patron- Bulgaria on a visit to Sri Lanka. the Senior and Junior sections in the age of Prof. G. L. Peiris, The Bulgarian delegation to the Tamil Essay Competition, organized Minister of Export Business Forum will be led Traicho islandwide by the National Housing Development and Traikov, Minister of Economy, Energy Development Authority, to commemo- International Trade. and Tourism, and will include leading rate the World Habitat Day – 2009. Siddhalepa’s efforts to businessmen from Bulgaria. An agree- Ganeshalingam Anithya once lived in advance the local ment on cooperation is also scheduled Mullatiu area during the war. She has Ayurvedic system and earn- to be signed on this occasion. won the first place in the junior section. ing foreign exchange for Parimekalan Abhilash who had lived Sri Lanka through the Mankullam area won the senior section. export of local herbs and Cultural show to raise Both of them now live in the medicines were appreciated Tharapuram relief camp in Vavuniya. at this meeting. funds for sports at They along with 50 other students A video compact disk who were winners of the Art and Essay containing the life story of MMV Bentota Competitions, study in the relief villages Deshabandu Victor in Vavuniya. Awarding of Cash prizes, Hettigoda, Chairman of by Prasanna Abeyawardena, Awards and certificates to winners took Siddhalepa was also Bentota Corr. place at a special ceremony at the launched. A benefit show including devil Weerapuram relief village in Vavuniya. Lalith Weeratunga, dancing items, in aid of sports activi- It was organized on the instructions of Secretary to the President. ties of Gamini Central College the Minister of Housing and Common Several Ambassadors, min- (National School) Bentota will be held Amenities Mrs. Ferial Ashraff. isters, leading businessmen at the main hall of the school, at 3.30 General Manager of the NHDA, and representatives from and 6.30 p.m. on November 07, 2009. It Luckvijaya Sagara Palansuriya and the medical, educational, is organized by the Past Pupils Additional District Secretary Vavuniya media and cultural fields Association. S. Thirugnanasambanthan were the chief were present on the occa- The school has cut a figure in sport guests at the ceremony. The Officer-in- sion. activities at National and Provincial charge of Weerapuram Relief Village Deshabandu Victor Hettigoda presenting a copy of the video compact disk to Prof. Peiris. levels. camp Captain Sarath Perera and Representative of UNCHR, Ms Eileen Pastora too participated in the event. Lankans need to change attitude towards AIDS victims – Consultant By Don Asoka Wijewardena no power to fight bacteria, germs and as a strong social stigma. AIDS patients identified as sexually transmitted dis- Around 33 million people are infected viruses. were human beings who needed kindness ease and although some countries had with Acquired Immune Deficiency She pointed out that the AIDS virus from everybody. legalized prostitution the AIDS virus had Syndrome (AIDS) globally.In comparison was first discovered in 1981 in the United Consultant Physician IDH hospital raised its ugly head day-by-day. to other countries, Sri Lanka has found States and no efficacious medical treat- Dr. Ananda Wijewickrema said that of Dr. Wijewickrema emphasized that only 1,161 victims. Around 84 per cent of ment to cure infected patients had been the 1,161 AIDS positive cases in Sri Lanka housewives would be likely to contract heterosexuals in Sri Lanka have been found so far. A 42 per cent are females. AIDS virus through their husbands identified with Human IDS prevention programmes were When the HIV virus entered the because some husbands were inclined to Ganeshalingam Anithy of Thandikulam Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive, constantly updated in Thailand, human body it would take 10 to 12 years seek sexual pleasure from prostitutes village in Vavuniya who won the 1st Senior Consultant Venereologist Dr. Cambodia, India and the United States to develop into full-blown AIDS. The man without using condoms. place of Junior Tamil Essay Competition Sujatha Samarakoon said at a Workshop because people, especially drug addicts, or woman would not be aware of the The husbands who had the AIDS for media personnel on HIV/AIDS at homosexuals and intravenous drug users insidious development of the virus and virus were in the habit of passing the Hotel Renuka on Tuesday. were contracting the virus. HIV test should be done to make certain, virus to their wives and to new borns. Dr. Ms. Samarakoon said that when Sri Lankans needed an attitude if one was suspicious of it. He said that AIDS was not a conta- the AIDS virus entered the human body change on AIDS because almost all Sri He said, AIDS Foundation Sri Lanka gious disease and Sri Lankans should ,the CD 4 cells would be killed and the Lankans had misunderstood and avoided had been conducting workshops, semi- change their attitudes towards AIDS vic- immune system of the body would be AIDS victims as if they were from a sep- nars and awareness programmes for peo- tims. They also had equal rights as others completely paralyzed. arate social class. ple and journalists on HIV/AIDS and pos- in the society. The immune system would then have Sri Lankans looked at AIDS patients sible prevention methods. AIDS could be Deformity Rehabilitation Indigenous Medical Clinic opens in Colombo by Amreen Ameen Medical Clinic for war heroes was Parimekala Abilash of Mankulam won and Amira Cader held on Monday in the presence of the 1st place of Senior Tamil Essay Mrs.