Hatton Dickoya Base Hospital unveiled by Indian Prime Minister

The Hatton Dickoya Base Hospital, which was built on a Rs. 1,200 million donation from the Indian Government, was unveiled by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday.

The three-story  hospital building comprises a 150-bed ward complex, Medical Equipment Unit, Out Patient Department, Specialist Center, Intensive Care Unit, Maternity Ward, Emergency Treatment Unit, labour room and two operation theatres.

Additionally, a blood bank, firefighting equipment and two official residential buildings complex and other facilities required for a base hospital were included.

The newly-constructed complex was unveiled by the Indian Prime Minister on the invitation of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

President Sirisena, while addressing a public meeting held at the Norwood playground in Hatton, stated that the Government has accepted that the problems of all communities - Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims - should be solved.

He added that the Government was committed to strengthening reconciliation by fostering national unity. “The objective of the current Government is to take the motherland forward as a strong country in the world through this reconciliation,” he said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed this meeting.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, ministers Rajitha Senarathne, Arjuna Ranatunga, P. Digambaram, Mano Ganesan, State Minister P. Radhakrishnan and former Minister Arumugam Thondaman were among those who participated in this event. 

Narendra Modi invokes MGR, Muttiah Muralitharan in address to Tamil community in Sri Lanka

Indian Express: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday addressed the Indian-origin Tamil community at Norwood Grounds in Dickoya town of Sri Lanka and assured them that India will support their endeavours towards peace and prosperity. 

“The Government and people of India are with you in your journey towards peace and greater prosperity,” he said. Earlier in the day, he inaugurated a Rs 150 crore super-speciality hospital in Dickoya town that was built with Indian assistance. Dickoya is a subdistrict of Dimbula, one of the six primarily tea-growing regions in Sri Lanka.

PM Modi congratulated the Tamil community for their hard work and said that Sri Lanka has benefitted from it.” If Sri Lanka today is third largest exporter of tea, it’s because of your hard work,” PM Modi said. “People all over the world are familiar with famous Ceylon Tea that originates in this fertile land,” he further added.

Calling for celebrations over the diversity between Sinhalese-speaking population and Tamil-speaking people, PM Modi said, “Diversity calls for celebration and not confrontation. Sinhala and Tamil people and languages existed harmoniously.” He also said that Sinhalese language should be a matter of “pride” for the people. “You speak one of the oldest-surviving classical languages in the world. It is a matter of pride that many of you also speak Sinhala,” PM Modi said.

Stressing the need for strengthening “threads of unity and harmony” between Indian and the Tamil community in Sri Lanka, the prime minister said, “We remember your forefathers. Men and women of strong will and courage who undertook the journey of their life from India to then Ceylon.” He also praised some of the original inhabitants of the community. “A great icon of India, MGR was born in this soil establishing a lifelong connection. You produced one of the finest spinners in the world, Muttiah Muralitharan.”

The prime minister also said that he is aware of the steps taken by Sri Lankan government for the development of the community. “Sri Lankan government is taking active steps to improve your life which includes a Five-year Action plan. India will fully support their effort in this direction,” he said. “We will continue to work tirelessly for your socio-economic development in all possible ways.”