FRESH WATER FROM BELGIUM
The number of patients suffering from ailments connected with kidneys has been always high in several parts of the Polonnaruwa district. Unprecedented droughts left the villages in the Egoda Patthu of the district on the bank of the Mahaweli river, In a helpless situation while even the colonists under Parakrama Samudra scheme too faced situation of disaster.
The new colonists and the traditional old villages close to Dimubulagala and Welikanda appear to be destined to face the eternal problem of drinking water. In several areas the available water is not fit for drinking. The unpurified water causes all the Kidney – problem so common in these areas.
Attention of some local politicians, voluntary organizations and devoted local groups has shown keen interest to help the effected communities in those remote areas. Sri Lanka Belgium Association (SLBA) which has connection with a Belgium N.G.O. named Adoptie Sri Lanka – Belgium has been involved in social service programs in several remote villages during the last two decades, His Excellency the President Maithripala Sirisena has suggested to SLBA that a drinking water project in Welikanda area is very welcome.
With this background, the SLBA selected a village called Nawa Mahasen Pura situated about 10 kilometers away towards Batticaloa from Welikanda. There live about 2200 people in 600 families in this village. The estimated cost to provide 10000 liters of purified drinking water every day to this community is little over Rs. 2,000,000. Mr. Amaradasa Gunawardena the President of SLBA reports that the Secretary General of the Belgium NGO named Adoptie Sri Lanka Belgium Mr. JOHN VAN DIJCK and his wife Mrs. LINE VAN DIJCK have agreed to fund this project with their personal funds. The local organization in Nawa Mahesen Pura is the Death Donation Society (Maranadhara Samithiya) who have made all arrangements to declare open the project on Sunday 9th of April. They will enjoy fresh water for the forthcoming Sinhala New Year celebrations.
