Welfare centers sheltering Champoor IDPs under rain water

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 November 2010, 12:31 GMT]
Some one thousand two hundred and sixty two displaced Tamil families sheltered in four welfare centers in Moothoor division in Trincomalee district are undergoing untold hardships due to torrential rain. The temporary sheds in the welfare centers have been inundated with rain water. The inmates find difficult to sleep, cook food and latrines are under water preventing them to answer call of nature. Health authorities have expressed fear of out break of dengue and other diseases among IDPs if no preventive measures are taken.

Thousands of Tamil families were displaced in April 2006 from Moothoor East villages, first to the Batticaloa district following the military operation by the Sri Lanka Army assisted by the Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force.

Gradually they were brought back to Moothoor for resettlement from Batticaloa. However, 1262 families are not allowed to return to their own villages in Moothoor east by armed forces under the pretext that their villages come under the high security zone covering Champoor area where land has been allocated for the construction of coal power plant with the assistance of the Government of India.

The local civil authority offered these IDPs alternative lands away from the HSZ for their resettlement. But the IDPs have refused to accept the offer but insisting that they should be allowed to return to their own traditional villages.

As the deadlock on this issue without finding a solution continues, these IDPs are currently staying in four welfare centers located in Ki’liveddi (570), Ma’natcheanai (90), Paddiththidal (230) and Kaddaipa’richchaan (372).

Meanwhile, the World Food Organization (WFO) that has been supplying food materials to maintain these welfare centers is reported to have informed the local civil authority in Moothoor that it would stop supplying relief materials from January next year.

Strong winds, heavy rain in North, East

Sri Lanka’s Meteorological Department has issued a warning of strong winds and heavy rain in the northern and eastern provinces and Gulf of Mannaar in the country later Friday night. The public have been advised to take extra caution against lightning as the wet weather continues owing to an atmospheric disturbance in the region.

Thunder showers accompanied with strong winds blowing inland is expected from Friday night throughout most parts of the country, an official of the Meteorology Department said.