(UTV|COLOMBO) – Poised to present the public with a panoramic view over the surroundings, in close proximity to the new Army Headquarters, and also to transform the environment, more of people-friendly nature, troops of the Sri Lanka Army HQ under the close supervision and guidance of Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, the brainchild behind the implementation of the Army’s ‘Thuru Mithuru – Nawa Ratak’ project this morning (3) inaugurated its Phase – 3, providing a slew of community-oriented public utilities, Army-related ancillary services and opening of several exhibits at the entrance to the Army Headquarters.
The multi-faceted sequence of the day’s proceedings, meticulously streamlined by the Master General Ordnance Branch at the AHQ, headed by Major General Prasanna Chandrasekara got to a start sharp at 6.30 a.m. after the day’s Chief Guest Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva arrived at the location and symbolized the inauguration of the programme by planting the first sapling around the turn near the entrance to the AHQ road where the day’s main ceremony got underway with Officers and Other Ranks present at the venue.
The formal opening of the ‘Thuru Mithuru – Nawa Ratak’ main signboard, followed by the newly-constructed 2 km-long walking track for the public, 3 new zones for physical training with accessories and beautification of the Army-renovated roadside lake by installing water fountains was included in the first segment of the day’s programme. The day’s Chief Guest spearheaded those openings.
In parallel with the above, Lieutenant General Silva symbolically released a shoal of 10,000 fingerlings to the newly-dug lake. In addition, one more school of 10,000 fingerlings on the same occasion was dropped into fresh water using two boats of the Special Forces. Using the soil bund in and around the man-made lake, the occasion also signalled the cultivation of 100 coconut saplings with the support of civilians living around the lake perimeter. A few minutes later, the day’s Chief Guest symbolically vested 24 concrete benches that have been erected along the beautified roadside and on the banks of the lake in the public.
As the final segment of the day’s event, Lieutenant General Silva unveiled the new signboard of the Army Headquarters at the turn to the premises and planted two ‘Ehela’ saplings on either side of the signboard. Afterwards, the Commander was invited to unveil both 130 mm and 122 mm Artillery guns that have been positioned at the main entrance to the new Army Headquarters which would add grandeur and dignity to the premises.
On 23 December 2019, on a conceptual notion of Lieutenant General Silva, the Army adding one more lead to the national drive for afforestation and beautification of the country, coincident with the government’s environment-friendly Green Project concept to plant trees and establish urban forests, green paths, green roofs and agro-forestry systems in order to increase national forest cover in urban and semi-urban areas and beautify the country kicked off its mega ‘Thuru Mithuru – Nawa Ratak’ project (Phase – 1) by planting 170 ‘Araliya’ saplings along the Denzil Kobbekaduwa road in Battaramulla up to Sri Jayewardenepura Army Headquarters.
Again on 14 January 2020, the same project’s (Phase – 2) in line with the government’s ‘Saubhagye Dekma’ (Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour) policy statement of HE the President re-ploughed an abandoned and unattended 12 acreage of paddy fields, owned by the Sri Jayewardenepura Army HQ premises in order to sow indigenous paddy varieties. On the same day, 140 saplings of ‘Mee’, ‘Karanda’ and ‘Koboneela’ were also planted on both sides of the road stretch (about 1.7 km) that leads to the Army Headquarters.
Deputy Chief of Staff, Senior Officers, Officers and Other Ranks were associated with today’s (3) programme. (NR)