News
Water project fire: Six students released on bail to sit O/L exams
View(s):By Nathara Abeywickrema
The Aranayaka Ussapitiya Public Stadium fire that destroyed the water pipes connected to the Asupini Ella Water Scheme days before President Ranil Wickremesinghe declared it open was the result of careless disposal of a matchstick by six teenagers who were smoking there, Police said.
The six grade 11 students were produced before court on Monday for allegedly setting fire to a stock of pipes on May 19.
They were released on a surety bail of Rs. 100,000 each in view of the G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination by the Mawanella Magistrate and were ordered to be present in courts on August 8.
The fire that broke out on May 19
Police said the fire broke out as a result of students carelessly throwing away a burning match stick on patchy grass.
The Aranayaka Police initiated a special investigation following information that the fire was an act of sabotage ahead of the President’s visit.
The water project was declared open by President Wickremesinghe on May 21 and the water pipes had caught fire two days before the opening.
According to the Project Office, the fire destroyed 100m rolls of High-density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipes worth more than Rs 50 million. They were meant to be laid along a 10 km-long path.
The water project was initiated with Rs. 3,847 million in financial assistance from the Netherlands to solve the drinking water problem in 135 Grama Niladhari areas in the Kegalle District’s Aranayaka, Mawanella, and Rambukkana divisions.
“Investigations are still underway to ascertain which student threw the match stick. It is apparent that the fire was caused by negligence and further action depends on the outcome of the investigations,” Police Media Spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said.
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