When developed EP will be better than WP – Minister Champika




(August 17, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The era when people in the Eastern Province were living in constant fear is over, said Environment and Natural Resources Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, when he opened a Range Office on last week in Laugala.

Laugala was a LTTE’s high threaten area before army capturing hole land of East, where the Majority are Sinhalese.

He said the Range Office was built through the commitment of the Wildlife officers and the cost was much less than the estimated amount.

Ranawaka said plans are afoot to develop Ampara, Batticaloa, Embilipitiya and Hambantota areas. He said the government is determined to develop the Eastern Province even better than the Western Province under the Neganahira Navodaya.

However, Ranawaka said that development doesn’t mean that it would be another concrete jungle like Colombo, but an environmentally friendly area.

He also said that certain extremist politicians (Rauf Hakeem) were critical of the Govt. saying that lands belonging to certain sections of the people were being grabbed.

Irrespective of political differences the Government constructed houses at Lunugamvera, Uda Walawe and Elephant Pass and distributed them among the needy, he said.
- Sri Lanka Guardian