Norwood Divisional Secretariat to remain amid public pushback

A plan to relocate the Norwood Divisional Secretariat to Hatton has been withdrawn following strong public opposition, Divisional Secretary G.S.D. Kamalath confirmed.

He made the statement in response to a question from Nuwara Eliya District MP Jeevan Thondaman on Tuesday (27) during the Norwood Divisional Coordination Committee meeting at the Hatton-Dickoya Urban Council. 

Raising several regional issues, MP Thondaman highlighted a shortage of medical officers amid rising kidney disease cases, and criticised poor school infrastructure, citing World Bank reports noting the lack of proper toilet facilities in several schools.

He also renewed calls to address school-level drug abuse, first reported in 2021, urging the revival of a discontinued police initiative that placed male and female officers in schools. While supportive of awareness efforts, he rejected a proposal to station two police officers per 50 households, warning it could infringe on civil freedoms.

On estate housing, the MP said that despite available funding and policy backing, estate management companies continue to block progress. He called for the release of land to allow residents to build homes, noting the required documentation is already with the ministry.

The meeting was chaired by Divisional Secretary Kamalath and attended by MPs Thondaman and Kalaichelvi, local council secretaries, government officials, police, and Grama Niladharis.