Funds allocated for resettled persons remain unused in Batticaloa district

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 June 2010, 16:20 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Batticaloa district MP, P. Selvarasa, accused that the 5792 million rupees allocated to provide basic facilities to the resettled persons uprooted from areas in Batticaloa district during the 2006 military offensive on Paduvaankarai have not been utilized by the related authorities. Selvarasa’s accusation comes when reports are issued claiming that the needs of the resettled civilians have been considerably met, following the recent official visit to Batticaloa by Minister of Resettlement, Milroy Fernando and Depurty minister, Vinayagamoorhty Murlitharan.

745 million rupees allocated to fulfill the basic needs of the resettled civilians and 5047 million rupees for construction of houses for them in the villages of Vavu’natheevu, Paddippazhai, Chengakaladi Divisional Secretariats remain unspent, Selvarasa said.

Paduvaankarai people continue to suffer without drinking water, facilities for health, transport, electricity, insufficient number of teachers, permanent houses, road reparations and employment opportunities, he added.

Meanwhile, wild elephants have begun to intrude into their settlement threatening them with death, he said.

The persons who had lavished the people of Batticaloa with various promises on the eves of the local government, Eastern Provincial Council, Presidential and Parliamentary elections and earned their votes have failed to fulfill their promises, the MP said.