A New Water Purifying Plant for Vadamarachchi Aliyavalai School Children and Community

Health risks on the Jaffna Peninsula are largely attributable to the area's contaminated water supply. The 553 Infantry Brigade of 55 Infantry Division has begun building a Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant for the Aliyavalai CCTM College and to the village with the financial assistance of the 'Sri Lankan Community in UAE' keeping the sole intention of providing purified water for school children and needy people in the Vadamarachchi East area as an urgent precaution to the issue. Major General Swarna Bothota, Commander Security Forces in Jaffna, worked closely with Sri Lankan community in the United Arab Emirates to make this project a reality for deserving students and communities.

General Officer Commanding 55 Infantry Division Major General Prasanna Gunaratne’s conceptual guidance assured the successful completion of the purification plant. In that, the troops of the 12 (V) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment drove through the task under the instructions of Commanding Officer Major WTS Nayanajeewa and supervision and management by Colonel Janak Prematilake, Commander 553 Infantry Brigade. The Sri Lankan Community in the United Arab Emirates aided the whole programme, including donation of urgent stuffs to the school as well.

The commissioning of the RO plant and handing over of the same to the public held at 0930 hrs on Wednesday the 08 March 2023 at Aliyavalai CCTM College in a brief ceremony. General Officer Commanding 55 Infantry Division Major General Prasanna Gunaratne graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and Mr and Mrs George Hettiarachchi as Guests of Honours representing the Sri Lankan community in the United Arab Emirates. The ceremony was enriched with school dancing teams that performed dances for both Tamil and Sinhala songs and an impressive speech by the principal in Sinhala medium. The value of water preservation was persuaded to the children by the Public Health Inspector of Maradankarni through an educative speech. Subsequently, Major General Prasanna Gunaratnehanded over some trophies to the school principle to be used for School SportMeet. Further, provided snacks and nourished tea for all school children attended. Thereafter the opening of the purified water facility for general public was declared open by the Chief Guest. Religious heads of the village invoked blessing to Sri Lankan Community in UAE and Sri Lanka Army for initiating this much needed project to the community.

Brigade Commanders of 55 Infantry Division, Divisional Secretary of Vadamarachchi (East), Commanding Officers of 10 (V) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment and 12 (V) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment, Divisional Educational Director, Public Health Inspector of the area, Grama Niladari, together with school children and a large gathering of villagers attended for the ceremony. This project will provide purified water for 350 children of the school andpeople in the area.