President wants report on vehicle needs of LG bodies

Sandasen MARASINGHE

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday instructed officials to submit a report on the vehicle needs of all local government institutions so that the required vehicles could be imported, for garbage disposal and handed over to local government institutions lacking in such vehicles.

He made this observation at the Kalutara District Special Development Committee meeting in Aluthgama.

President Rajapaksa said he discussed the matter with Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

The President instructed that the garbage be burnt as was done in Colombo sometime back.

He said in Korea, the ash of the burnt garbage was used to manufacture tiles and marble.

Relevant institutions should consider such solutions, he said.

President Rajapaksa said an agreement will be entered into soon to import 100 to 200 metal bridges to set them at places which lack bridges, without delay.

He said some places, though selected to construct the bridges, work was delayed due to the delay in the import of bridges.

The President said the import of bridges was delayed as their prices were high and the government was able to negotiate and arrive at a reasonable price.

The President also instructed to commence development work on the road on either side of the bridge soon so that the entire project will be completed by the end of the year.

President Rajapaksa said the buildings at crematoriums do not need to be built to five star hotel standards at over Rs six or seven million.

He said the people mistook the Matugama crematorium for a hotel.

President Rajapaksa said the crematorium at Beliatte was constructed at Rs 1 million. He instructed the Provincial Council to design a plan for low cost crematorium with all requirements and hand it over to the Pradeshiya Sabhas.

The President instructed for measures to be taken to construct a new hotel in Beruwela after discussions with the owner, when a Provincial Council member pointed out it would benefit the tourism industry if the hotel damaged by the tsunami is reconstructed.

The President appreciating the plans of the Nawalapitiya city said the authorities could prepare a city plan and submit it to the businessmen to construct their buildings to commence businesses.

It will add to the beauty of the city which will finally be the property of the people and the businessmen in the city.

The President said though the Kalutara district contributes 23.5 percent of the nation's rubber production, the rubber plant nursery at Bulathsinhala is limited only to a name board.

An officer said there are two nurseries in the district meant to produce around 675,000 saplings. By now 328,000 have been produced.

At this stage, the President said he was focusing on the Bulathsinhala nursery and not the other one.

The President said measures should be taken to add dignity to rubber tapping by giving the tappers training and providing them a uniform. The officials replied there was a plan to implement such a project.