Omanthai SLA checkpoint gets electricity

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 April 2004, 06:02 GMT]
Transport arrangements for the more than 100,000 voters in the Liberation Tigers controlled areas in the Vanni and Jaffna districts for the elections to be held on Friday are being completed, with a resting place in Puliyankualm and voting booths close to Omanthai and Muhamalai check points of the Sri Lanka Army, officials from the Elections Department said. As part of these arrangements, electricity supply was ceremonially inaugurated to the Omanthai checkpoint complex of the SLA on Wednesday.

LTTE's checkpoint after the no-man-land area at Omanthai checkpoint complex.

At a function headed by Mr. K. Ganesh, the Vavuniya GA and Returning Officer of the Elections, several senior officers of the Ceylon Electricity Board, including Mr. Rajaratnam Muthuratnananthan, the Northern regional Deputy General Manager, Mr. Selvarajah Prabhakaran, the Electrical Engineer for Vavuniya, Mr. Kadirgamu Thavarajah, the Vavuniya Electrical Superintendent, and Mr. Markandu Vijayasiri, Assistant Officer, participated.

On behalf of the security forces of Sri Lanka, Vanni regional commander Maj. Gen. D.S.K. Wijesooriya, Omanthai regional commander Brigadier Mosath, the Omanthai Deputy Superintendent of Police responsible for the elections, Mr. Neville Guruge, also participated at the ceremony.

Mr.Ganesh, the Vavuniya GA, is seen with Nevile Guruge (extreme left) Asst.Supdt.of Police who is in-charge-of Omanthai clustered polling booths.

The European Union granted 22 million rupees for supplying electricity to the Liberation Tigers Checkpoint, located in Puliyankulam, 9.5 kilometers from the Omanthai Maha Vidiyalayam (School). Out of these funds, 8 million rupees were used for the supply of electricity to the Omanthai SLA checkpoint, officials noted.

Sixty three polling booths have been constructed at the Omanthai School for the voters in LTTE-held areas of Vanni, including the Mullaithivu district.

Officials reiterated that in order to complete the arrangements for the voters, the Omanthai and Muhamalai checkpoints will be closed at 1 p.m. on Thursday and on Friday only voters from the LTTE-held areas who will vote in the general elections will be allowed through the checkpoints.



Mr.K.Ganesh the Returning Officer and Major General D.S.K.Wijesooriya the Security Forces Commandar - Vanni are seen after received as guests at the ceremoney of electricity inauguration at Omanthai Checkpoint.


Mr.K.Ganesh, GA and the Returning Officer of Vavuniya is in consultation with NIEARP engineers headed by Mr.Navaratnam Suthakaran


Inauguration of electricity supply to Omanthai Checkpoint complex; Mr.Sivalingam Sathiyaseelan the Divisional Secretary, Vavuniya, Mr.Nevile Guruge ASP incharge of Omanthai Polling Booths, Major General W.S.D.Wijasooriya, Security Forces Commandar in Vanni, Mr.K.Ganesh the Returning Officer of Vanni electorate, Mr.Rajaratnam Muthuratnanandhan Deputy General Manager north of Ceylon Electricity Board and Mr.Markandu Wijesiri Electrical Assistant of the CEB are in the photo


New Transformer at Omanthai Checkpoint Complex.