100 acres of agricultural lands in Ariyalai which was within the High Security Zone from 1995 were handed over to the owners on the 17th of May 2005. Mrs.Theivendram the Divisional Secretary of Nallur and Commanding officer of the Army Camp at Ariyalai were present in the handing over ceremony. Mr.T.S.Pathmanathan President of Ariyalai Farmers’ Union has requested the owners to register their lands with the Union by producing the deeds of ownership.

NORAD has undertaken to renovate 32 tanks within the Jaffna Municipal Council area in their programme for the year. The total cost is estimated to be around Rs. 80 millions. Work has already been started in Piramankoddukulam and Neernochikulam in the Nallur Divisional Secretariat area. Work on the other tanks will commence during June. Eachomoddai Vannankulam in the Jaffna Municipal Council area which was neglected for several years is being renovated. The tank has been deepened and new bunds are being built.

The department of Fisheries has arranged to provide fuel to the boats of the fishermen in Thenmaradchy area who were affected by Tsunami. Coupons for the purchase of fuel are issued to the fishermen who have registered with the department.

Fishermen from Vadamaradchy who were owners of Katamarans and affected by the Tsunami disaster and registered themselves with the department of fisheries will be provided with fishing equipment.

The fishermen from Vadamaradchy East who had been affected by Tsunami were overlooked by volunteer organisations in providing assistance. They are requesting the NGOs to consider their plight who had not received any kind of assistance.

EDUCATION

The Department of Publication of school text books have called for the details of text books required for the next year, for the various schools. But it is reported that certain text books for the current year have not yet been provided, though several reminders were sent. Books on History and Tamil introduced this year for grade 7 and English Practical books for grade 5 were not supplied this year.

The two storey building constructed for the Manipay St.Anne’s School was formally opened recently. Meanwhile there are complains that the sanitation condition in the school is very poor and no one has taken action to provide the most needed toilets for this school.

Mr.Vikneswaran the Zonal Director of Education has taken action to provide Laboratory facilities to Manipay Hindu Ladies College.

NICORD has plans to construct a two storey building for Manipay Sothivembady Vidyalayam. Mr.Arudpragasapillai the Principal stated that this building will accommodate the Principal’s office, Library and 10 class rooms. Hostel facilities have once again been provided in the Nelliyadi Madhya Maha Vidyalaya. The hostel facilities could not be provided from 1986 due to the army operations. The new hostel with all the facilities and required furniture costing Rs.3.5 millions was opened by Mr.S.Arulanantham, Assistant Director of Education of Vadamaradchy Zone recently.

The Association of old boys of schools in Delft in Canada is granting Rs. 700/- each for 75 children selected from the families living below the poverty line in Delft. Payments In respect of April and May was made recently.

HEALTH

Five wells in the Santhai village were cleaned and chlorinated by the sanitary labourers from the Manipay Pradesha Sabha. It was reported that the five wells were not maintained properly by the villagers and they used to go a long distance to bring in drinking water.

Moolai Cooperative hospital which was recently rehabilitated is now providing 24 hours service to the public at low cost. In addition to the Out Patients department there are wards for the patients including maternity cases. In addition eye clinic functions at 4.30 p.m. on every Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Heart specialist could be consulted on Thursdays.

UNICEF has come forward to construct 30 toilets and 2 wells in the Valikamam South division. The Grama Servaka Officers are now engaged in selecting the eligible beneficiaries. Women headed families and families with more members and living below the poverty line would be entitled to receive the benefits.

The I.M.O. has conducted free medical camps for 4 days from 20th May in the Islands area. Blood bank in the Point Pedro base hospital recommenced its activities. This blood bank which functioned under severe constraints even during the war situation could not continue its service due to lack of drugs and equipment. Patients requiring blood transfusion were transferred to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital. But after the Tsunami disaster an emergency surgery section started functioning and the blood bank was started to be helpful to this section.

The Jaffna Teaching hospital has appealed to the Government Agent Jaffna district to arrange to obtain an ambulance fitted with modern equipments and facilities. This hospital has 4 ambulances at present but these are not fitted with modern facilities. Normally patients are sent four times a week from Jaffna to Colombo. Patients transferred from the intensive care units for further treatment face a lot of inconveniences while traveling the long distance in these ambulances without modern facilities.

The Kayts Pradesha Sabha has made an urgent appeal to the Government Agent Jaffna and the Assistant Commissioner of Local Government of Jaffna to provide at least one bowser to supply drinking water to the villages in the Kayts area. The two bowsers which were used for this purpose have to undergo major repairs and as such the supply of water cannot be continued. Hence this is an urgent appeal.

There is a  vacancy for the post of Public Health Midwife in the Uduvil South area and as a result pregnant women and mothers who have given birth to children are facing inconveniences. It has been the practice for the midwife to visit three times within ten days of the birth of a child. Consequently the people of the area have appealed to the Deputy Director of Health Services to appoint a permanent midwife for this area very soon.

The ward constructed by CHF for the mentally affected patients in the premises of the Cancer hospital Tellippallai will be formally handed over to the Department of health on 01.06.2005.

The Church of South India conducted its 3rd medical camp in the Children Home at Chavakachcheri on 28.5.2005.

HOUSING

Owners of houses in the Kaithadi East RASAPURI housing scheme will receive title deeds for their houses soon. The Land Kachcheri in connection with the issue of deeds to these people was conducted recently.

It has been reported that the World Bank housing scheme could not be implemented as scheduled as there is a shortage of civil technical officers in the district. 1000 houses will be constructed this year in the Jaffna peninsulas. Assessment of damages has been done by the technical officers and officials of the Village Rehabilitation Committees visiting every house

Twenty five houses will be constructed in Gandhikiramam Kopay under the World Bank housing scheme. It is hoped that families which arrived after the opening of the A9 highway would be benefited by this programme.

250 families from Gurunagar will be settled in Allaipiddy. Land for this purpose was purchased with the funds collected from the beneficiaries. Each family will get one lacham of land. The proposed houses will floor space of 500 sq.ft. It is hoped that this will ease the congestion in the Gurunagar area.

REHABILITATION

Mr.K.Ganesh Government Agent of Jaffna district has reported that it would not be possible to settle the families displaced from High Security Zones in other areas. He stated that these families have their own way of earning their living and life styles which they would not give up. Even now these families are living closer to their own areas and are engaged in their employment opportunities. They will be satisfied only if they allowed to go back to their own lands.

Kakkaitivu village which lies on the boundary of the Jaffna Municipal Council has been selected to be developed into a model village. Funds for the development will be provided by the UNDP. Though Santhai and Piranpattu are also very backward villages priority has been given to Kakkaitivu for development. The following programme will be implemented according to Mrs. Anton Yoganayagam Assistant Divisional Secretary. 35 houses will be constructed and drinking water will be supplied by bowser. Every family will be provided with a toilet. Roads, drains and channels would be renovated. Action also will be taken to encourage the children of this area to take full interest in their studies.

RELIEF

World Vision distributed mosquito nets, chairs and biscuits to 200 families of Thondamanaru South who were affected by Tsunami. It is reported that the gift for each family was worth more than Rs.5000/-.

UNDP is organizing a programme to grant self-employment loans to the families affected by Tsunami in the Valikamam West Divisional Secretary’s division. This programme will be implemented through the Chankanai M.P.C.S. Mr.S.A.Mohanras the Divisional Secretary has informed the families affected by Tsunami desirous of obtaining loans to contact their Grama Officers.

LAND LINES

There has been a decrease in the number of persons affected by landmines in the peninsula this year. This was stated by Mr.S.Nesan an official of the Demining project office in the Jaffna Secretariat. He quoted the following figures. In the year 2001 ninety persons were affected and in 2002 it came down to 70. In 2003 fifty persons were affected and in 2004 only 20 persons were affected.

Areas in Erlalai which were cleared of mines were handed over to the owners of the lands on 26th May. The Danish de-mining team was engaged in de-mining activities in Erlalai during the last few months. Now the de-mining of the area has been completed.