Kandy to be made model city- President
Rasika Somarathna in Kandy
President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said that Kandy would be
developed as a world class model city. 'The government has already begun
development work with the above in mind, he added, addressing a
gathering of Municipal Council workers and citizens of Kandy, at his
official residence yesterday.
He also said that the UNP, during its long rule of the Council had
failed to fulfil the aspirations and needs of city dwellers. He noted
that UNP rule had even failed to keep the city which houses the Sacred
Tooth Relic, clean and garbage free. "Under a UPFA led administration
the city would be kept clean and garbage disposal would be done in an
efficient manner," the President added.
The President also noted that the government has already spent Rs
three billion on city development.
"Steps are also being taken to address issues faced by tenement
dwellers and pavement hawkers," the President added. In the case of
tenement dwellers the President said that the government was not going
to evict them from their habitats. "We are going to give them a proper
house instead of the shanties they live in," he added. He also said that
the government had bought land to build proper business locations for
pavement hawkers within the city and added that this would be done
shortly.
He urged the citizens of Kandy to vote for the Betel Leaf at the
forthcoming polls to supplement these efforts. He also noted that the
UNP's long hold on the Kandy MC would end and the UPFA's victory was a
forgone conclusion.
UNP candidate N Navindan got on stage and pledged his support to the
President and UPFA on the occasion. Prime Minister D M Jayaratne, Chief
Minister Sarath Ekanayake and Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and
Thilina Bandara Tennekoon also spoke. |
