Foreign specialists to carry out studies on Uma Oya project

President Maithripala Sirisena speaking at an event in Nuwara Eliya said the government is considering seeking the assistance of foreign specialists to look into the possibility to take forward the Uma Oya project by preventing any further inconveniences to the people.

“The people in the area have to face the bad effects of this project which had been operated only on the political decisions, neglecting the advice of the engineers. Though the groups who corrupted millions of rupees through those wrong political decisions, and committed financial frauds are silent in front of the people’s protests today, the government will carry out an investigation against them”,the President was quoted as saying according to the government news portal.

“When the current government came to power, the possibility of halting this project was examined. But we couldn’t stop it as 2/3rds of the project had been competed by that time. Furthermore, we had to consider moving the project forward as a huge loan had been taken from the government of Iran for this project”, he added.

President Sirisena said that he had discussions with local and foreign specialists about the actions to be taken now. He said a German specialist on mining has started investigations and another group of specialists will arrive in Sri Lanka to carry out further studies.

The President further said that today, the FaceBook and Social Media have become an obstacle in building national unity and religious reconciliation in the country. Extremist groups using this medium are attempting to create unrest in the society and all should understand this situation, he added.

The President was attending the 125th Anniversary of the Highlands College, Nuwara Eliya held  at the D.K.W. Weeratunga Cultural Centre in Hatton.

During this ceremony, the President presented awards to the students who showed outstanding performance at the School and also issued a commemorative stamp to mark the 125th Anniversary of the College.

Recently, during a President’s visit to the Talawakele area, the students of the Kotagala Tamil Maha Vidyalaya informed the President regarding the shortages of their school and consequently under the instructions of the President the relevant officials took steps to fulfill those needs of the school.