The Government has decided to resettle 5,864 IDP families who had fled their villages in Sampathnuwara in Mullaitivu due to LTTE threats, before August 31, Presidential Secretariat sources said.

Minister of Nation Building, Susantha Punchinilame said that following President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s directive that there should be no delay in resettling the IDPs, the process is now being handled within the 180-day Uthuru Vasanthaya program.

A meeting chaired by senior Presidential Advisor and Head of Presidential Task Force Basil Rajapaksa, MP, was held at the Mahaweli Community Training Centre in Anuradhapura in July and it was decided that the Weli Oya IDPs should be resettled before August 31.

The Survey Department has launched a survey of these areas from August 20 and 50 million rupees had been set aside to resettle these 5864 IDP families of whom 3364 families were registered settlers whilst 1500 families were unregistered families.

The District Secretary (GA) for Mullaithivu Mrs Emelda Sukumar said that the army had done an excellent job in reconstructing all the war ravaged roads and bridges within a short period.

Also present during the meeting chaired by Basil Rajapaksa were the Governor of the Northern Province, Major General (Retd) G. A. Chandrasiri, Governor of the North Central Province, Karunaratne Divulgane, Chief Minister of the Northern Province, Berty Premalal Dissanayake, former IGP and Presidential Advisor Chandra Fernando, District Secretary (GA) for Anuradhapura H. M. K. Herath, Deputy General Manager (DGM) of the CEB for the Uthuru Vasanthaya Electrification Project, Gratien Muthukudaarachchi and Secretary to the Ministry of Nation Building W. K. K. Kumarasiri.

Mrs Sukumar said that the Ministry of Nation Building had allocated Rs 100 million for reconstruction of all rural roads with another Rs 100 million set aside to reconstruct the 26 kilometre stretch from Parakramapura to Kokkuthuduwai via Janakapura.

A further Rs 100 million has been allocated to reconstruct the road leading from Gajabapura to Nedunkerni via Athawetunuwewa,Monarawewa and Kottamalai.

The District Secretary said that all post Offices, public markets and cooperatives were being reconstructed and provision was also being made for the supply of clean drinking water and sanitary facilities for the villages.

These IDP families were displaced from Kalyanapura, Helambawewa, Kambiliwewa, Konwewa, Weherawewa, Gajabapura and Monarawewa areas due to LTTE threats.

These displaced families are presently living temporarily in Nava Gajabapura, Nava Monarawewa, Bogaswewa and Gevalkanda, Padaviya and Sripura areas.

Following the estimation of the damage caused to public buildings in the area as a result of terrorist activities, reconstruction has begun to repair these buildings.

The reconstruction of all school buildings the quarters of principals and staff attached to the Schools in Janakapura, Monarawewa, Gajabapura, Athawetunuwewa where these IDP families would be resettled are also being repaired or reconstructed, where necessary.

Work has also started to repair and reconstruct 48 tanks which had been identified and under the first phase priority has been given to reconstruct Monarawewa, Gajabawewa, Kambiliwewa, Weherawewa, Tikiriwewa, Kuruluwewa and Kalyanapura Hansawila.

Following the estimation of the cost of providing electricity to these villages from the National Grid from Anuradhapura by Chief Engineer of the CEB for the North Central Province Priyantha Gunathilleke workmen are now providing electricity to all the villages where the IDPs would be resettled.