Since April 21 attack, Vesak, Poson, Esala Perahera and Madhu festival smoothly held

Since the tragic Easter Sunday attacks, the country celebrated Vesak, Poson, Esala Perahera, and Madhu festivals without any terrorist or anti-social incident, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe pointed out yesterday after inaugurating a major new irrigation and water resources project in the lower Malvathu Oya region, near Tantirimalai.

The Prime Minister said political opponents predicted that the country’s economy would suffer total destruction in the wake of the Easter Sunday terrorist blasts. But his Government has been able to overcome all challenges and obstacles such as floods, drought, landslides, the urban waste problems and, the 52-day Constitutional coup and failed attempts to topple the Government.

“We faced all such challenges and conspiracies and never ran away from them. We did not do away with the Samurdhi benefits for 600,000 low income families,the Gamperaliya and Enterprise Sri Lanka economic development programmes. The tourist industry which suffered a severe setback following the Easter Sunday carnage is now back on track,” Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said.The Prime Minister was the Chief Guest at the foundation stone laying ceremony for the construction of the proposed Lower Malvathu Oya Reservoir. This reservoir will have a water capacity of 170,000 acre feet and around 14,000 acres of land getting submerged by it. The cost of the project is Rs.23,000 million.

The Malwathu Oya basin is the wellspring or the foundation of the Sinhalese civilization and the construction of the lower Malwathu Oya reservoir in the ancient and historic Thantirimale area will revive the once prestigious Malwathu Oya civilization while the Yan Oya reservoir will also be a boon to the country, the Prime Minister said.The Prime Minister said Sri Lankans should not be like frogs in a well. He said that almost all other Asian countries were now in the forefront of development surpassing Sri Lanka. Therefore, we should follow an export economy without being confined to traditional and outdated development strategies.

The Venerable Niyangoda Vjithasiri Atamasthandhipathi Ven. Pallegama Siriniwasa Runweli Chetiiya Ramadhipathi, Ven. Pallegama Hemarathane, Tantirimale Raja Maha Viharadhipathi Ven. Chandrarathana Nayaka Thera conducted the religious observances together with Hindu, Catholic and Muslim clergy. Ministers P. Harison, Chandrani Bandara, Risad Bathiudeen, Gayantha Karunatilake, Ranga Bandara, Parliamentarians Daminda Dissayakae, Ishak Rahuman, Chandima Gamage, North Central Governor Sarath Ekanayake, Anuradhapura Government Agent R.M.Wanninayake, Government officials and a large number of villagers were present.

(Government News Portal)