Army Commander warms new home built for Uduvil family

Amid Hindu religious rites and rituals, General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, during a visit to the SFHQ-J on Wednesday (3) was invited by the 51 Division HQ to symbolically warm and vest an Army-built new house in a widowed family, resident in Uduvil, Jaffna.

The project, sponsored by the Church of the American Ceylon Mission in Jaffna, was made a reality by the 9 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (SLLI) Regiment troops who volunteered with their manpower, technical and engineering expertise.

General Shavendra Silva as the occasion’s Chief Guest symbolically unveiled a plaque and handed over the keys to the beneficiary, Mahendrarasa Amirthamalar, a mother of two with no proper shelter since her husband died of cancer about five years ago. The three-member family which leads a hand to mouth life was almost rendered homeless when the ground realities were brought to the attention of the 51 Division HQ some time ago.

During the ceremony, several gift parcels were also handed over to the beneficiary including dry ration packets and pieces of household items.

The Army’s SFHQ-J to this date has erected a total of 755 new houses in the peninsula after 2010 through their manpower and technical expertise. Sponsorships provided by the Government, Housing Authority, civil organisations, donors and Sri Lankan expatriates enabled Jaffna troops to build a record 556 such houses for needy families in the peninsula in the past. Similarly, Army troops using their own funds have so far erected a total of 198 new houses for deserving families in the peninsula. Likewise, six more new houses, meant for deserving civilians are still under construction in the general areas of Karainagar, Puttur East, Chandrapuram, Sanguveli and Wattirayan, including the new house to be built for the ex-combatant in Chunnakam. 

Major General Jagath Kodituwakku, Commander, Security Forces – Jaffna, Major General Chandana Wickramasinghe, General Officer Commanding, 51 Division and other Senior Officers were associated with the inaugural warming ceremony.