Northern Province Hon. Governor N. Vethanayahan today, Friday, June 5, 2026, directly visited the remote villages, including Kurukkal Puthukkulam, Kanthasamy Nagar, Kapachchi, Veera Puram, and Nithyanagar, which are the border villages under the Cheddikulam Divisional Secretariat of the Vavuniya Division. He asked about the requests of the public and provided a solution for the long-term problems.
Coordinating Chairman of Vavuniya District and Honorable Deputy Minister of Cooperative Development Upali Samarasinghe; Honorable Member of Parliament M. Jegatheeswaran; and Sarath Chandra, Secretary of Vavuniya District, also joined with the Hon. Governor and asked about the problems of the public.
*Needs of Nithiyanagar Village*
A team headed by the Hon. Governor visited Nithiyanagar village and supervised the Thiruvalluvar Preschool, which operates in that village. Meanwhile, the Hon. Governor directed the immediate execution of the facilities for the school through the Department of Education. The district secretary has made arrangements to fulfil the community’s request for the Grama Niladhari to visit their village at least once a week. The governor has taken to addressing the drinking water issue at Nithyanagar Logeswara Vidyalaya, working through the assistant commissioner of local government.
Further, the governor instructed the renovation of the Nithikkulam–Niththiyanagar Road within this year, which was the main transport issue indicated by people. The assistant commissioner of local government mentioned that the said road, which was affected by the ‘Dithwah’ cyclone disaster, can be renovated through the renovation fund of that disaster. After being indicated by the public that the Forest Department is a barrier to cleaning the bushes on the roadside where wild elephants are wandering, the governor and deputy minister have jointly taken immediate action to resolve those issues through community clean-up and to provide necessary equipment through the local government, and they also ensured getting the full cooperation of the Department of Forestry.
*Requests of Kanthasamy Nagar People*
Kanthasamy Nagar people informed them that compensation for the Dithwah disaster was not fully received. It was ensured to provide the compensation. Further, part of the village people accepted moving on into another place, and others were willing to live in the same place. The deputy minister was instructed to initiate the request made by people through the ‘Prajasakthi Plan’ to renovate Chinnappattivalikulam. Meanwhile, a request was presented to build a common building at the village.
*Kapachchi and Mugaththankulam areas*
A team headed by the Hon. Governor directly saw the damage caused to the bridge which is on the way to Kapachchi through Mugaththan Kulam and observed the structural instability of the narrow ridge running across the tank bund. Meanwhile, the deputy minister clarified that bids have already been called through the Central Irrigation Department for the renovation of the Kapachchi Bridge.
The team then visited Anpupuram Namagal Maha Vidyalaya and Kapachchi Vidyalaya to engage in discussions with the community members. People expressed their concerns about the impacts they experienced due to the forest department, including ‘Dithwah losses,’ the need for Internet access, and the necessity for a secure fence around the school. The district secretary stated that land would be allocated to these individuals as part of the Malwaththu Oya Plan. The deputy minister explained that a water connection had not yet been provided to 10 houses, and arrangements were being made for water access to the village.
*Veerapuram Village Infrastructure*
A team led by the Hon. Governor observed the severe damage caused to the internal roads of Veerapuram Village after the disaster. The Hon. Governor directed the Assistant Commissioner of Local Government to take due immediate actions regarding various defects, including lack of road electric bulbs.
*A special review meeting of Vengalacheddikulam Divisional Secretariat*
Following these field visits, an extensive discussion was held at the Vengalacheddikulam Divisional Secretariat. This meeting was held with the participation of the governor, deputy minister, additional district secretary, divisional secretary, chairmen and members of local governments, and secretaries to the ministries of the Northern Province and departmental heads.
Directions were issued to authorities for actions to be undertaken by the relevant departments within the specified time frame.
The governor and deputy minister instructed that special attention be given to the divisional secretary unit for the villages in a remote area.
Decisions were taken by deeply discussing educational development in Cheddikulam and lack of resources in Cheddikulam Base Hospital.
It was also analyzed about the important matters, including providing alternative lands for people affected by disaster, distributing lands for people who don’t have lands, and accelerating the field research for the lands that should be released from the Forest Department.
Positive replies were given by the team led by the Hon. Governor to the various requests presented by civil society representatives regarding Cheddikulam Division’s development needs.
