Government officials visit Madhu

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 March 1999, 22:47 GMT]
The Deputy Land Commissioner, Mr. A.A. Edward, and the Deputy Director of Agricultural Service visited the Madhu area to get the first hand information about the situation there.

They visited the area this afternoon on behalf of the Mannar Government Agent.

Acording to them the Ceylon Eletriity Board (CEB) is making arrangements to supply electricity and a large generator has already been sent. Officials from the CEB will tomorrow assess the possibility of restoring the power supply.

Two Multi Purpose Co-Operative Stores (MPCS) at Palampiddy, north of Madhu, have been smashed and all food items have been removed. Officials said that the incident may have been caused by a severe shortage of food.

According to Mannar official about 20,000 refugees are currently living in the Madhu (10769 persons comprising 2789 families in Thadchanamadhu Open-Refugee-Camp (ORC), 9421 persons comprising 2789 families at Madhu ORC and 222 persons comprising 63 families at the Kerisuddan refuge camp).

On Monday a man died of Cholera they said.

The Mannar Government agent has asked the charity World Vision to supply 5,000 refugees with dry rations.

World Vision has said that it will supply packages containing essentials within the next two days.

The Mannar Kachcheri has also been able to dispatch Kerosene and sugar in three lorries.

According to officials, the Army has opened a shop in the area and a large number of people have come to buy things especially cool drinks.

Brigadier Ranjith De Silva visited the area this afternoon around 1 p.m.

Meanwhile sources in Mannar said the police had arrested five youths at Moor Street in Mannar town at around 5.30 p.m this evening.