Pakistan sponsors Clean Drinking Water Supply Projects in remote villages of Polonnaruwa
Posted On February 3, 2014
The government of Pakistan through its High Commission in Colombo has funded the construction of two clean drinking water supply projects for the vulnerable communities in Kodapokuna Village of Polonnaruwa District in the Northern Central Province of Sri Lanka.
The High Commissioner of Pakistan in Sri Lanka H.E Major General ® Qasim Qureshi visited the beneficiary communities and handed over these projects to them on 31st January 2014 in the presence of the community leaders. Mrs Rashida Qureshi, spouse of the High Commissioner and Mr Faizer Khan, Country Director Muslim Aid also accompanied the High Commissioner.
The Kodapokuna Village is situated 50 Km away from Polonnaruwa city, and is inhabited by 155 Tamil and 148 Muslim families. These families were displaced during the three decades long war and were resettled in this village.
Last year, Government of Pakistan sponsored 6 Clean Drinking water supply projects for the needy Sinhalese, Muslim and Tamil communities of Rotawewa, Awweinagar and Track 6 Village of the Morawewa DS Division of Eastern Province and Neerayipitty East and Kumarapuram villages in Mullaitivu district of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.
The people in these villages, especially women had to walk long distances to carry water for drinking and bathing which created hardship for these remote village communities. Realizing the difficulties faced by the resettled communities, the High Commission of Pakistan in Sri Lanka sponsored the construction of community wells for the remote communities to benefit over 300 families directly on daily basis.
The two projects were implemented with the assistance of Muslim Aid Sri Lanka, after under taking vulnerability assessment for the provision of clean drinking water.
The water supply projects underscores Pakistan’s commitment to achieve the Millennium Development Goals on water. The Millennium Development Goals aim to cut by half the number of people living without drinking water and basic sanitation by the year 2015.
These projects would add to various projects from the Government and people of Pakistan for their Sri Lankan brethren in health, education and livelihood sectors. These projects includes construction of the School in Salam Baikulam in Vavuniya Town of the Northern Province, district Hospital Akurana, construction of a 3 storied state of the art school in Gampaha, equipping science laboratories in schools, revival of handloom sector in Mirigama to strengthening this cottage industry and providing self-employment, 30 computer centers and 6 stitching centers, providing ambulances to hospitals, annual awards of Jinnah Scholarships as well as Higher Education scholarships for study of medicine, engineering, dentistry and pharmacy in Pakistan.
