கடற்படையை எதிர்த்த மாதகல் மக்கள் போராட்டம் வெல்க!

"மீன்பிடியையும் விவசாயத்தையுமே நாம் வாழ்வாதாரமாகக் கொண்டவர்கள். எனவே எமது காணிகளை நாம் விட்டுத்தர மாட்டோம். அவை எமக்கு வேண்டும்''

மாதகல் மக்கள்

கடற்படையை எதிர்த்து மக்கள் போர்க்கொடி; மாதகலில் பறிக்கப்படும் தங்கள் வாழ்விடங்களுக்காக உரத்துக் குரல்கொடுக்க சர்வதேசத்திடம் முறையீடு
(யாழ் உதயன் 06 12 2011)

கடற்படையினருக்கு எதிராக மாதகல் மக்கள் நேற்று ஆர்ப்பாட்டத்தில் ஈடுபட்டனர். தமது காணிகளைச் சுவீகரிப்ப தற்குக் கடற்படை திட்டமிட்டிருப்பதைக் கண்டித்த மக்கள் தமது காணிகளைத் தம்மிடம் ஒப்படைக்கும்படி வலியுறுத்தினர்.

மாதகல் மேற்கைச் சேர்ந்த நூற்றுக்கணக்கான மக்கள் கைகளில் சுலோக அட்டைகளைத் தாங்கியபடி இந்த ஆர்ப்பாட்டத்தில் கலந்துகொண்டனர். வலி.தென்மேற்குப் பிரதேச சபைக்கு சற்றுத் தூரத்தில் திரண்ட மக்கள் அங்கிருந்து பேரணியாகப் பிரதேச சபைக்குச் சென்று மனுவைக் கையளித்தனர். பின்னர் சண்டிலிப்பாய் பிரதேச செயலகத்திற்கும் சென்று மனுவைக் கையளித்தனர்.

* "மக்கள் குடியிருப்புகளை இராணுவ முகாமாக்காதே'',

* மஹிந்த அரசே! மாதகல் மக்களின் நிலங்களை மக்களுக்கே வழங்கு'',

* "உலக மக்களே! பறிக்கப்படும் எமது வாழ்விடங்களுக்காகக் குரல் கொடுங்கள்''

என்று பேரணியில் சென்றவர்கள் முழக்கமிட்டனர். வயது வேறுபாடு இன்றி ஆண்களும் பெண்களும் சிறுவர்களும் உரத்துக் கோஷமிட்டவாறே பேரணியில் சென்றனர்.

ஆர்ப்பாட்டம் குறித்து முன்கூட்டியே அறிந்திருந்த பொலிஸார், அதிகாலை தொடக்கம் பிரதேச சபை, பிரதேச செயலகம் என்பவற்றில் காவலைப் பலப்படுத்தி இருந்தனர். அந்தப் பகுதி எங்கும் பொலிஸார் குவிக்கப்பட்டும் இருந்தனர். இதனால் காலை முதல் அங்கு பதற்றம் நீடித்தது. எனினும் குழப்பங்கள் எதுவும் நிகழவில்லை. 

மாதகல் மற்றும் அதனை அண்டிய பகுதிகளில் இருந்து 1992ஆம் ஆண்டு மக்கள் வெளியேறி இருந்தனர். படையினர் முன்னேறியதை அடுத்து அவர்கள்தமது இருப்பிடங்களை இழக்க வேண்டியதாயிற்று. அதன் பின்னர் கடந்த இரு தசாப்த காலமாக அந்தப் பகுதி உயர் பாதுகாப்பு வலயம் என்ற அறிவிப்புடன் படையினரின் கட்டுப்பாட்டில் இருந்தது.

சுற்றியுள்ள பல இடங்களில் மீள்குடியமர்வுக்கு அனுமதி வழங்கப்பட்டபோதும் மாதகல் மேற்குப் பகுதியில் மட்டும் மீள்குடியமர்வுக்கு அனுமதி வழங்கப்படவில்லை. இப்போது இவர்களின் காணிகளை முகாமுக்காகச் சுவீகரிக்க கடற்படையினர் முயற்சிக்கின்றனர். இதனை எதிர்த்தே நேற்றைய போராட்டம் நடைபெற்றது. "மீன்பிடியையும் விவசாயத்தையுமே நாம் வாழ்வாதாரமாகக் கொண்டவர்கள். எனவே எமது காணிகளை நாம் விட்டுத்தர மாட்டோம். அவை எமக்கு வேண்டும்'' என்று மக்களால் கையளிக்கப்பட்ட மனுக்களில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது.

இலங்கையை ஏலம் போடுகின்றது சிங்களம், இதற்குத்தான் ஆடியது வெண்களம்!

* Sri Lanka to set up 35 five star hotels island wide,leading international hotels are to be invited
* Sheraton to get five-acre land in Sri Lankan capital for US$ 73.5 million to build hotel complex
* National Geographic Traveler picks Sri Lanka as one of the best places to visit in 2012
* Chinese company yet to decide on land offered by the Sri Lankan government for hotel project
* Newly opened Sri Lanka Expressway has earned Rs. 6.7 million in less than a week
* Old Colombo Dutch hospital renovated and converted to a modern trade complex
* Another Indian company to explore possibility of drilling for oil in Sri Lanka's Mannar Basin
* Pakistani company to set up cement processing plant at Sri Lanka's Hambantota Port
* US$ 100 million World Bank assistance to transform Sri Lanka's educational system
* Japan grants 60 million rupees to renovate pre-schools in Eastern Sri Lanka
* Estate officers in Sri Lanka threaten to launch strike against estate owners

இலங்கையை ஏலம் போடுகின்றது சிங்களம், இதற்குத்தான் ஆடியது வெண்களம்!


பக்ச பாசிஸ்டுக்கள் தேசபக்தர்கள் அல்ல ஏகாதிபத்திய தாசர்களே!

ராஜ பக்ச ஒடுக்கும் சிங்கள தேசத்தை மட்டுமே `அபிவிருத்தி` செய்கின்றார் என்று கூறுபவர்கள் குறுமினவாதிகளே!

விடுதலைப் புலிகள் வீழ்த்தப்பட்ட சூழ்நிலையைப் பயன்படுத்தி முழு நாட்டையும் அந்நியருக்கு தாரைவார்த்து விற்றுப்பிழைக்க துணிந்து விட்டார்கள் பக்ச பாசிஸ்டுக்கள்.உலக மறுபங்கீட்டுப் போட்டியில் இலங்கையில் களமிறங்கியுள்ள ஐ.ஆர்.சி( Iran Russia China), மற்றும் ஆமெயின் (America India) அணிகளுக்கு பங்கிட்டு விற்றுப் பிழைகின்றார்கள் பக்ச பாசிஸ்டுக்கள்.வெட்கம் மானம் சூடு சொரணை அற்று ஒரு புறம யுத்தக்குற்றவாளிகள் என மிரட்டிக்கொண்டு மறுபுறம் அமெரிக்க முதலீடுகளை ஊக்குவிக்கின்றான் ஒபாமா!இந்திய விரிவாதிக்க அரசு இதற்கு இடைத் தரகனாக இருக்கின்றது.

உல்லாசபுரியாக இலங்கையை மாற்றுவது, உலகமயமாக்கல் வர்த்தகத்துக்கு அந்நியச் செலாவணி திரட்டும் திட்டமே ஆகும்.இதற்காக விளை நிலங்கள் அபகரிக்கப்படுகிறது. உழைக்கும் மக்கள் தங்கள் நிலங்களில் இருந்து தூக்கி வீசப்படுகிறார்கள்.இரந்துண்ணும் மானுடர் இரவோடு இரவாக படுகொலை செய்யப் படுகின்றார்கள்.இந்தப்போக்கில் வக்கிர வன்முறைப் பாலியல் வதை என்கிற இழி தொழில் வளம் பெறும்! கற்பனைக்கு எட்டாத கலாச்சார சீரழிவால் நாடு நாசமுறும்! யாழ்ப்பாணத்தில் இது ஏற்கெனவே அதிகாரபூர்வமாக ஆரம்பித்துவிட்டது,2009 இற்கு முன்னமே சிங்களம் சிறுவர் வக்கிர வன்முறைப்  பாலியல் வதையில் கொடிகட்டிப் பறந்தது. இப்போது மாணவர்களைக் குறிவைத்துப் பாய்கின்றது!

உல்லாசத்துறை தரகு வணிகர்கள், அந்நிய வங்கிகள், இழிதொழில் கங்காணிகள், அந்நிய வக்கிர வன்முறைப் பாலியல் வதைப் பயங்கரவாதிகள், போன்றோரே இதனால் நன்மையடைவர்.

இது அபிவிருத்தி அல்ல அந்நியத் தீ!

இந்த அந்நியத்தீயைத் துப்பாக்கி முனையில் மூட்டி வருகிறது சிங்களம்!

புதிய ஈழப்புரட்சியாளர்கள்

====================================

Sri Lanka to set up 35 five star hotels island wide

Sun, Dec 4, 2011, 12:18 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Dec 04, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has approved setting up of 11 five star hotels in the capital Colombo and 24 in areas outside of Colombo to attract and accommodate tourists.Sri Lanka's Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa has said the government has received the approval to set up two
five-star hotels in Gampaha, one in Negombo, four in Beruwala, two in Jaffna, seven each in Batticaloa and Trincomalee, and one in Nuwara Eliya.

He has told the media that the government was also looking at creating a tourist zone linking Katunayake, Gampaha and Negombo in the Western Province.According to Rajapaksa, leading international hotels are to be invited to invest and build hotels in Sri Lanka to provide a wide range of choices for the discerning tourist.

He has emphasized that Sri Lanka has to attract the investors before they go to other countries.
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Sheraton to get five-acre land in Sri Lankan capital for US$ 73.5 million to build hotel complex
Thu, Dec 1, 2011, 09:50 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Dec 01, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has received the approval from its cabinet to lease prime land in the capital Colombo to the Sheraton Hotel group for a US$ 73.5 million to build a luxury hotel complex.
At the regular meeting held Wednesday, the cabinet approved the proposal for the hotel complex forwarded by the Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.The government will provide the M/s ITC limited of India, Franchise of Sheraton Group of USA, a block of land in extent of five acre near Army headquarters in Colombo on a 99 year lease for a sum of US$ 73.5 million as indicated by the Chief Government Valuer.

The Sheraton Group plans to invest US$ 300 million in the luxury hotel and mixed development project in Colombo.The government is planning to convert Colombo as a Middle Income City in terms of the long term development framework of the Government.

The project plan includes housing for shanty dwellers presently living within the city to ensure better living conditions for the residents and provide them opportunities for urban employment and livelihood activities.
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National Geographic Traveler picks Sri Lanka as one of the best places to visit in 2012
Fri, Dec 2, 2011, 01:39 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Dec 02, Colombo: The award-winning National Geographic Traveler magazine's November/December issue has picked Sri Lanka as one of the 20 best places to visit in 2012.

As one of the "Best of the World 2012", the expose on Sri Lanka features the luscious green tea plantations in the hill country, ancient Buddhist temples of Dambulla and Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, wildlife in Yala, and the UNESCO's world heritage site of Central Highlands that cradles the Adam's Peak.

One piece 'Jolly Good Times in Hill Country' describes Nuwara Eliya as a "colonial-era resort town in Sri Lanka's stunning hill country.""The first thing that strikes you is the climate. Damp and bracingly cool, this place doesn't fit your image of Sri Lanka, the lush island nation-formerly known as Ceylon-that hangs like
a teardrop off the tip of southern India," the review describes the climate of the highlands.

"This mountainous, mist-draped realm has long been popular with backpackers and other adventurers for its tea plantations (above) and rain forest preserves, known as the Central Highlands, which recently were added to UNESCO's World Heritage list."
Since the end of the war in May 2009 Sri Lanka has been a popular destination for tourists. A series of favorable travel articles in The New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, and the websites Daily Candy and Lonely Planet has given Sri Lanka top travel rankings.

Last year, the National Geographic ranked Sri Lanka at second place out of 25 countries for 'Best New Trips for 2010'.The New York Times named Sri Lanka the No. 1 travel destination in 2010, noting that the long conflict against the LTTE terrorism is over and that there is no better time to travel to Sri Lanka's unspoiled beaches, mountainous terrain and wildlife parks.

With the arrival of the 750,000th tourist in the country last month Sri Lanka has already exceeded its tourism goal for the year 2011.Under a new five-year plan to boost tourism in the country, Sri Lanka expects to raise the number of arrivals to 2.5 million and to earn annual revenue of US$ 2.75 billion by 2016.
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Chinese company yet to decide on land offered by the Sri Lankan government for hotel project
Sun, Dec 4, 2011, 01:27 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Dec 04, Colombo: Deputy Economic Development Minister of Sri Lanka Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena says that China National Aero Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) is yet to decide on a plot of land out of several offered by the government.

The seven-acre plot of land in Galle Face initially offered to CATIC has now been allocated to build a Hotel for the Sheraton Group by an Indian Company following Cabinet approval last week.

Abeywardena told ColomboPage that CATIC was shown three plots of land around the Beira Lake as an alternate to the Galle Face land.

The Deputy Minister said CATIC was yet to decide on the plot of land, which would be given on a 99 year lease.The government is currently making arrangements to sign an agreement with India's ITC, Franchise of Sheraton Group of USA, to build the Sheraton Hotel within a period of four years.
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Newly opened Sri Lanka Expressway has earned Rs. 6.7 million in less than a week
Sat, Dec 3, 2011, 10:45 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Dec 03, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government says that authorities have collected Rs. 6.7 million from the vehicles that have traveled on the Southern Expressway from Kottawa to Galle since its opening on November 27th.

Deputy Highways Minister Nirmala Kothalawala has told the parliament that the highway has managed to earn millions within a week of its opening.The Deputy Minister has said that there have been about 25,000
vehicles that have used the expressway to travel to the South since its opening.

The government earlier said the expressway earned a million rupees within the first day after its opening.
The 95-km four-lane highway from Kottawa in Colombo district to Galle was constructed at a cost of around Rs.70 billion. The maximum speed on the highway is set at 100 Km per hour enabling the motorists to reach Galle in an hour.
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Another Indian company to explore possibility of drilling for oil in Sri Lanka's Mannar Basin
Sun, Dec 4, 2011, 01:19 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Dec 04, Colombo: India's Oil and Natural Gas Company (ONGC) has expressed interest in exploring for oil in the Mannar Basin off the Sri Lanka's northwest coast.Petroleum Minister Susil Premajayantha said ONGC officials are expected to visit the country shortly for discussions and assess the already available data.

The Minister told ColomboPage the Indian officials were scheduled to visit the country last week, but had postponed the visit.

The officials from the Indian company are to assess the possibility of drilling for oil and natural gas in the Mannar Basin according to current data.Meanwhile, officials from Russia's Gazprom who were visiting
the country had met with officials from Cairns India to discuss the data about natural gas deposits found by them in the Mannar Basin.

Gazprom has expressed interest in exploring for oil and natural gas in Sri Lanka.Cairn Lanka, a subsidiary of Cairn India Ltd., exploring for oil since August, found gas deposits with some hydrocarbon liquid in two exploratory wells in Mannar basin last month.

Premajayantha said the Russian company would make a final decision after studying the data collected by the company's technical officials who visited the country.

Mannar basin has eight oil and gas exploration blocks and two of them have been granted to China and India.
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Old Colombo Dutch hospital renovated and converted to a modern trade complex
Thu, Dec 1, 2011, 12:10 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Dec 01, Colombo: The old Colombo Dutch Hospital in Colombo Fort that was built by Dutch colonial rulers in 18th century has been renovated as a modern trade complex.Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa will declare open the new trade complex tomorrow evening.

Urban Development Authority, which carried out the renovation, has taken steps to conserve the historic value of the dilapidated structure during its conversion to a modern trade complex under the 'Developing the Colombo City' project.

The colonial building had suffered heavy damage in the LTTE bombing attack on the adjacent Central Bank building in 1996.Sri Lanka government has spent around Rs. 100 million for the renovation that was conducted under the supervision of the Archaeological Department.

The new trade complex is expected to be a tourist attraction in Colombo city.
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Pakistani company to set up cement processing plant at Sri Lanka's Hambantota Port
Thu, Dec 1, 2011, 09:50 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 01, Colombo: the Sri Lankan government has received the approval from the cabinet to award a contract to a Pakistani company to set up a cement processing plant at the Hambantota port.

Accordingly, on a proposal submitted by the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Minister of Ports and Highways, M/s. Thatta Cement Co. of Pakistan will set up the cement grinding plant at the Southern port.

The Cabinet has already approved three other companies to set up plants at the port.Shree Renuka Sugar Ltd of India will set up a Sugar RefineryPlant, Peak Energy (Pvt.) Ltd of Singapore will open a Petro
Chemical Plant (pET Resin Plant). The Haleys Advantis Ltd will establish a Fertilizer Storage, Processing and Bagging Plant.
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US$ 100 million World Bank assistance to transform Sri Lanka's educational system
Wed, Nov 30, 2011, 09:57 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Nov 30, Colombo: The World Bank said on Tuesday that it has approved a US$100 million concessional credit to Sri Lanka to enhance access and quality of primary and secondary education to provide a foundation for the knowledge-based economic and social development of the country.

The Ministry of Education with the assistance will implement a project for 'Transforming the School Education System' (TSEP) at the national level, according to a World Bank statement released yesterday.

Provincial Ministries and Departments of Education, with the support of the Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils will implement it at the provincial level.

Under its theme, the programme will support initiatives to increase opportunities for children in the age group of 6-10 years to complete primary education and for children in the age group of 11-16 to complete secondary education up to grade 11.

The World Bank says the programme will also support several innovative initiatives to enhance learning outcomes and improve the orientation of the education system to the economic development and social needs of the country.

It would also help assist the country to empower schools with greater managerial authority and responsibility and to develop the planning, administration and monitoring capacity of the provincial, zonal and divisional levels of the education system.

"The program will help the country develop a foundation for the skills needed for the global economy of the future, and the ethics and values required for good citizenship in a modern democracy," Dr Harsha Aturupane, Lead Education Specialist and Task Team Leader of the operation has said.

"This country programme will not only assist the government to improve the school curriculum to better reflect modern international trends in curriculum practice. It will also enhance soft skills needed for better jobs in the future and support the renewal of key core values for future generations,"

World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka Diarietou Gaye has said.About 4 million school children, around 215,000 school teachers, 15,000 principals and 3,500 education managers and administrators will directly benefit from the TSEP programme.

According to the global funding agency, there are approximately 1.6 million primary school students and 2.4 million secondary school students among the 4 million students in Sri Lanka.

The TSEP will indirectly benefit school communities of about 10,000 schools, the households of 4 million school children, the contractors of school infrastructure and suppliers of educational equipment, and the academics and researchers who will receive support for research and evaluation activities.

The development initiatives supported by this project are a high priority within the general education sector in Sri Lanka.
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Japan grants 60 million rupees to renovate pre-schools in Eastern Sri Lanka

Fri, Dec 2, 2011, 02:46 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Dec 01, Colombo: The Government of Japan has provided US$ 541,620 (approximately Rs. 60 million) in assistance for an early childhood care and development project in Trincomalee district of Eastern Sri Lanka.
a Japanese NGO, Save the Children Japan (SCJ) will implement the project titled "Early Childhood Care and Development Project in Trincomalee District, Phase 3", a follow up project from two previous projects to construct and renovate preschools and provide training for pre-school teachers in the district.

Ambassador of Japan Nobuhito Hobo and Katsuya Yoshida, a representative of SCJ signed the grant contract Thursday (01) at the Embassy of Japan in Colombo.According to the Embassy, the phase 3 project aims to develop sustainable system to offer early childcare by improving networks within communities and with local authorities, providing trainings for pre-school teachers and community members, and constructing preschools for the children of recently resettled communities.

The project is expected to benefit more than 1,000 families and their community members.The SCJ representative has said that their mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the children are treated.
"This project aims that all stakeholders including local authorities, communities, teachers, and children themselves become aware that they are the very agent that can bring lasting changes in children's lives," the official has said.

The project is realized by the Japan-NGO Cooperation Grant Scheme, which supports economic and social developments and emergency humanitarian reliefs through Japanese NGOs.
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Estate officers in Sri Lanka threaten to launch strike

Fri, Dec 2, 2011, 09:45 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Dec 02, Colombo: Estate officers in Sri Lanka say they would commence a strike action that would severely affect the estate sector if the estate owners fail to provide solutions to the existing salary anomalies.

Head of the Lanka Estate Services Association, Dhammika Jayawardena says that about 500 workers from 22 estates would join the strike action.He has pointed out that the EPF and ETF monies due to the estate workers have not been properly deposited by the estate owners since 2001.
He has observed that there were many issues in the estate sector that needed to be looked into by the authorities.

However, Jayawardena has noted that the estate officers played a key role in the estate sector from the planting of a crop till the harvesting of the yield and a strike action would therefore cripple the entire sector.

Iran military shoots down U.S. drone: state TV

TEHRAN | Sun Dec 4, 2011 9:53am EST
(Reuters) - Iran's military said on Sunday it had shot down a U.S. reconnaissance drone aircraft in eastern Iran, a military source told state television.

"Iran's military has downed an intruding RQ-170 American drone in eastern Iran," Iran's Arabic-language Al Alam state television network quoted the unnamed source as saying.

"The spy drone, which has been downed with little damage, was seized by the Iranian armed forces."

Iran shot down the drone at a time when it is trying to contain foreign reaction to the storming of the British embassy in Tehran on Tuesday, shortly after London announced that it would impose sanctions on Iran's central bank in connection with Iran's controversial nuclear enrichment program.

Britain evacuated its diplomatic staff from Iran and expelled Iranian diplomats in London in retaliation, and several other EU members recalled their ambassadors from Tehran.

The attack dragged Iran's relations with Europe to a long-time low.

Washington and EU countries have been discussing measures to restrict Iran's oil exports since the United Nations nuclear watchdog issued a report in November with what it said was evidence that Tehran had worked on designing an atom bomb.

Iran says its nuclear program is entirely peaceful.

(Created by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Tim Pearce)

ஜெயா அரசே! பேருந்து, பால், மின்சாரக் கட்டண உயர்வைத் திரும்பப்பெறு!

Six hundred acre prawn farm project in Jaffna

அந்நியனுக்கு அறுசுவை உணவூட்ட,

Six hundred acre prawn farm project in Jaffna

December 1, 2011, 10:37 pm

Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Douglas Devananda, Government Agent Imelda Sukumar, Divisional Secretaries and the officials of NAQDA Organization held a discussion at the Jaffna District Secretariat regarding the prawn farm project in the Jaffna District.

The coastal areas of Allaipitti and Araly. extending over 600 acres, have been earmarked for the prawn farm project and the preparations are going on to implement the scheme by the NAQDA Organization.

The Minister stated at the meeting that these projects would open up new employment opportunities to a large number of youth in the area whilst improving the economic development of the peninsula.

If the State officials were interested in knowing more about prawn farming, the minister said, he could arrange visits to places such as Wakarai, Batticaloa, Puttalam and Udappuwa where the prawn farming industry was carried out successfully on a massive scale.

சிங்களத்தின் வரவு செலவுத் திட்டம் 2012 - மற்றொரு பார்வை

2012 Budget Analysis

Amidst posters, fisticuffs and childish pandemonium, President Mahinda Rajapaksa released the 2012 budget. What’s in it?

Rupee devaluation

The Rupee is now trading at about 113 to 1 dollar. So, an American importing Sri Lankan apparel worth Rs.100,000 is now paying $885 instead of $910 (at an exchange rate of Rs.110). Once you start importing millions that makes a difference, making Sri Lankan exports more attractive.

Let’s say you’re a consumer buying tinned fish, however, which we import. I think tinned fish costs about Rs.225 for a big one. So, let’s say they’re selling it for about $2.05. That same can of tinned fish should now cost me about Rs.231.

Sri Lanka imports more than it exports, so it’s unclear whether this depreciation helps or what. It may be necessary, I have a wiki level of knowledge on monetary policy. According to this mises.org, currency devaluation doesn’t deliver economic growth in itself.

Me personally, I always guesstimate the exchange rate at Rs.100 to a dollar, which it hasn’t been for a year. So this will make me even more wrong.

Tourism

The government is both encouraging investment (reducing taxes) and discouraging tourists (imposing taxes). How much revenue will they make with the new visa fee ($20 for world, $10 for South Asia)? As an envelope calculation (650,000 tourists, 25% South Asian), it earns about $11.375 million dollars. Which is not much money for a whole lot of fuss.

They’re reducing the duty of tourism vehicles (Airport taxis and safari jeeps? Buses? could be anything) and talking about making Sri Lanka a regional sports hub.

Taxes

In addition to the de-facto tax of devaluation, they’re going to further tax green gram, peanuts, ginger, and corn to achieve ‘self-sufficiency’. I think self-sufficiency is a foolish goal to force, you just drive prices up, like in Indonesia, and create entrenched political lobbies dependent on handouts. You can support self-sufficiency, but let people have access to affordable food with politicising it. That said, I don’t like green gram

They’re also increasing the tax on ‘luxury’ vehicles (a wide category). People have been inhaling vehicles since the tariffs dropped dramatically last year. I just hope they keep the tax on hybrids down and perhaps introduce some electric vehicles (though this is largely pointless in a country that burns diesel for its main power supply).

Infrastructure

They’re talking about investing Rs.30 billion ($270 million) in provincial roads, Rs.27 billion in rail and about Rs.4.5 billion on bus stuff (engines, buses, routes). While this is good, public transport in Colombo still completely sucks and we need a metro of some sort. It is good that they’re expanding the rail network to Jaffna (with Indian help) and expanding the coastal line.

Mahinda is also proposing building 19 new domestic airports: “Parallel with the expansion of the Bandaranaike International Airport and the development of the Mattala International Airport, Palali and Ratmalana domestic airports, I propose to construct domestic airports in Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Hingurakgoda, Sigiriya, Anuradhapura and Iranamadu, to facilitate domestic air travel. Rs.750 million will be allocated in the next year to commence the construction of 19 airports in Iranamadu, Nuwara Eliya and Kandy.”

Improbable hubs

He’s also proposing making Sri Lanka a hub for sports and international legal arbitration, despite his government’s abject failure in the administration of both. Just look at the money and game losing cricket board and the corrupted court that convicted Sarath Fonseka. I’m not sure these are services anyone wants to outsource to Sri Lanka.

Spending

A lot of spending (Rs.230 billion) goes to the military, though Mahinda says Rs.200 billion goes to basic upkeep, making that sort of a social programme as well. What the country most needs for sustained, equitable growth is drastic improvement to the education system. He cites a problem and a solution, but I really don’t think it’s enough.

Education

On Education, Mahinda mentioned some disturbing figures and a solution. 350,000 students enter schools, but only 25,000 of those eligible enter universities. 165,000 fail their O Levels. His solution was to spend Rs.8,617 million on vocational education and Rs.500 million on... other vocational education.

I just don’t think it’s enough. The solution to a broken university system is to ignore it and send kids somewhere else? What about the kids who are qualified and don’t have space? What about the graduates that have higher unemployment the more education they get?

I don’t think this is very well thought out, or funded. The budget allocates Rs.95 billion for primary and secondary schools and I don’t think it’s enough or well allocated. He’s talking about setting up model schools everywhere, but there are already strong economic forces at play where parents are lying and begging to get into performing schools in cities.

Rather than bucking that just go with it, enable performing schools, shut down non-performing ones and spend on transport to move kids around. Either the government helps, or sticks its head in the sand while parents do it anyways.

In sum

Some good, some bad. It’s not an especially intelligent budget, but it’s not a dumb one. It still continues with the emphasis on agriculture at a time when services are growing, and on the military at a time when the youth are neglected. Sri Lanka is still, however, a growing country with natural awesomeness and I think we’ll do OK.

As additional notes, almost 40% of international financing is from China now, up from 0.5% in 2004. Of the declared Ministry and Department costs, 20% were exclusively on vehicles, and 80% including some spending on vehicles, among other things. Very little went to actual project work.

I must say, it’s a bloody embarrassment that Parliamentarians physically fought during the budget. I think what the UNP did was dumb, trying to interrupt the speech by shouting and holding placards. They’re not a revolutionary youth force, they’re an aging, bleeding party that simply can’t do its job in Parliament and has to resort to shouting or walking out. However, it’s a travesty that they were assaulted. It just reminds you that Mervyn Silva is there and that this government really is a den of thieving lords that only coincidentally benefit the country.

ENB வாசகர் வாக்கெடுப்பு

http://tenn1917.blogspot.com/

வாக்களிப்பு அட்டை வலது புறத்தில் உள்ளது,தயவு கூர்ந்து வாக்களிக்கவும்.

இலண்டனில் இருபது இலட்சம் அரச பொதுத்துறை ஊழியர்களின் ஒரு நாள் வேலைநிறுத்தம் பெரு வெற்றி

உள்நாட்டுச் சுரண்டலிலும், உலகமயமாக்கல் சுரண்டலிலும் திரட்டிய செல்வத்தின் ஒரு பகுதியை உழைக்கும் மக்களை சாந்தப்படுத்த பயன்படுத்திய `சமூக நல அரசுகள்` என்கிற மேலைத்தேய மாயை அகன்றுவிட்டது.

இனிமேல் மேற்குலகத் தொழிலாளர்கள் சலுகைகளுக்காக அல்ல சமூக சமத்துவத்துவத்துக்காக - சோசலிசத்துக்காகவே போராடவேண்டும்!

புதிய ஈழப்புரட்சியாளர்கள்

இலண்டனில் இருபது இலட்சம் அரச பொதுத்துறை ஊழியர்களின் ஒரு நாள் வேலைநிறுத்தம் பெரு வெற்றி

Unions hailed a strike by up to two million public sector workers as "historic" tonight as they angrily rejected claims by the Prime Minister that the biggest walkout in a generation had been a "damp squib" (You can describe something such as an event or a performance as a damp squib when it is expected to be interesting, exciting, or impressive, but fails to be any of these things.எமது).

David Cameron told the Commons that the "irresponsible and damaging" industrial action had been far from universally supported as he defended the Government's controversial pension reforms.

Officials from 30 unions involved in today's strike reported huge support, with up to 90% of some organisations taking action, often for the first time in their lives.

The strike closed more than three quarters of schools in England, as well as courts, museums, libraries and jobcentres, disrupted transport, hospitals and Government departments, led to around 15% of driving tests being cancelled, and was described by unions as the biggest since the 1979 Winter of Discontent.

Physiotherapists, headteachers, librarians, lollipop ladies, refuse collectors, weather forecasters and scientists were among those involved in the stoppage.

Civil service union Prospect said action by 26,000 of its members alone disrupted or stopped work at more than 400 locations, ranging from Ministry of Defence sites to prisons.

More than 1,000 rallies were held across the UK, including one in central London attended by tens of thousands of workers, some accompanied by their children.

Len McCluskey, leader of Unite, said the rally showed the depth of anger among public sector workers, adding: "The Prime Minister is completely out of touch. I have been to 12 picket lines and there has been a fantastic response both from workers and the general public.

"The Government can try to spin and tell lies, but they have been found out."

University and College Union leader Sally Hunt said: "Cheap potshots add nothing to what should be a serious debate about millions of people's futures, and just expose how out of touch the Prime Minister really is."

Warnings of massive delays at Heathrow airport failed to materialise, with passengers saying border controls were "better than usual".

Union officials accused the Government of "ramping up" possible airport disruption and claimed that "under-trained" staff had been drafted in to cover striking immigration and passport workers.

Debbie Arnell, a 42-year-old apprenticeship assessor from Bournemouth who had flown back to Heathrow's terminal five after a holiday in Philadelphia, said there appeared to be "more staff than usual" at passport control.

Colin Matthews, chief executive of airport operator BAA, said: "Due to the effective contingency plans we put in place with airlines and the UK Border Agency, immigration queues are currently running at normal levels for Heathrow.

"As a result of the whole airport community working together over the past few days we have more immigration officers on duty and fewer passengers arriving than would otherwise be the case. That has put us in a better place to avoid the serious delays and widespread disruption at Heathrow that were projected last week."

The Public and Commercial Services union reported a "huge" turnout for the strike, with up to 90% of staff in some Government departments, including Revenue and Customs, taking action.

Unison leader Dave Prentis said: "I wouldn't call two million people taking strike action a damp squib. Cameron is sounding increasingly desperate in his attacks on public service workers.

"He has only to turn on the TV, or listen to the radio - or look out the window - to see the nurses, dinner ladies, paramedics, social workers, teaching assistants, lollipop ladies amongst others standing up for their pensions. And the thousands of picket lines, demonstrations, rallies and events are not a figment of our imagination. These people are angry public servants who the Government has driven to the end of their tether."

A "handful" of staff from 10 Downing Street went on strike, and the school attended by Mr Cameron's son Elwen, was closed.

The Department of Health told NHS trusts in England they must not release figures regarding staff on strike or the number of cancelled operations and appointments, it was revealed.

A letter said a "national position" statement must be sent to the media ahead of any regional breakdowns.

Christina McAnea, head of health at Unison, said: "It is outrageous that the Department of Health are desperately trying to hide the fact that NHS services are being disrupted across the UK. Our members are reporting fantastic support for the day of action.

"We appreciate that this will cause difficulty for patients but we have made sure that patient safety will not be compromised."

Mr McCluskey said it was a "diabolical" attempt to "distort the truth".

The London Ambulance Service revealed that 42% of its staff were on strike, saying it was under "increased pressure" after receiving 30% more 999 calls than normal.

In Salford, Greater Manchester, council binmen manned a picket line outside their depot. Standing around a burning brazier to keep warm, they held placards including one asking: "Do we look Gold Plated?"

Primary schoolteacher Teresa Hughes, 48, of Newport, South Wales, who joined a rally in Swansea, said: "I am the main earner in my family and teachers like me are having to work more but for less.

"I don't think anyone wanted to go on strike, and we don't take a decision like this lightly. But ask anyone here today and they will tell you they feel like they have been left little choice but to take part in industrial action. The fact that the Government has reneged on its pension deal does not give us much faith."

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said the strike was "inappropriate, untimely and irresponsible", adding: "Responsibility for any disruption which people may experience today lies squarely with union leaders.

"Claims that there are no negotiations going on are simply not true. There were formal discussions with the civil service unions only yesterday and there will be formal discussions with the teaching unions tomorrow and health on Friday.

"In addition, there are frequent informal contacts between the Government and the TUC. All of this underlines how indefensible today's strike is while these talks at scheme level are moving forward."

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) said 90% of its 23,000 NHS members were estimated to be on strike, for only the second time in the union's 117-year history.

Alex MacKenzie, of the CSP, said: "Physiotherapy staff have demonstrated their anger over these pensions proposals by turning out in huge numbers today. No-one wanted to strike, but our members felt we had to take a stand."

Britain expels Iranian diplomats and closes Tehran embassy

Britain expels Iranian diplomats and closes Tehran embassy


William Hague says diplomats must leave UK within 48 hours, saying storming of British embassy in Iran had backing of regime

Julian Borger and Saeed Kamali Dehghan guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 30 November 2011 14.54 GMT

The foreign secretary tells MPs he has ordered the expulsion of Iranian diplomats from the UK . The foreign secretary, William Hague, has ordered the expulsion of Iranian diplomats from the UK and announced that the UK is closing its embassy in Tehran, saying that the storming of the mission on Tuesday had the backing of the regime.

Hague said Iranian diplomats would have to leave Britain within 48 hours, and that all British embassy staff in Tehran had now left Iran.

He said that the move would not mean the severance of all ties, as the two countries could continue to have a dialogue at international meetings, as the US has done since the seizure and closure of its embassy in 1979, but the move marks a new low in relations, which have been growing increasingly strained.

The foreign secretary said it was not possible to maintain an embassy in the current circumstances, adding that the estimated 200 protesters who invaded the embassy and the British diplomatic compound yesterday were "student basij militia". The basiji operate as a youth wing of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, one of the most powerful institutions in the country.

Hague said it would be "fanciful" to think that the embassy invasion could have taken place without "without some degree of regime consent".

He added: "If any country makes it impossible for us to operate on their soil they cannot expect to have a functioning embassy here."

Iranian diplomats in London refused to comment on the announcement.

Foreign Office sources said the foreign secretary had made his statement minutes after he received confirmation that the 26 British embassy staff had taken off from Tehran, heading for Britain.

The announcement had been delayed until then for fear "there would be some nutso backlash against our people", the source said.

The fleeing diplomats left the Iranian capital with whatever possessions they could salvage from their homes after the British residential compound in northern Tehran had been completely ransacked, an official said.

"The residential accommodation had been comprehensively trashed. The mob had gone through houses and apartments, wrecking them, nicking things. It was like a gang of feral street kids had been given license to do as much damage as possible," he said.

The crowd had also set fire to the first floor of the embassy, the official said, causing extensive damage. The only staff left at the embassy and the residential compound will be local security staff, who will be asked to prevent the buildings becoming "a playground for local youths".

In the next few days a decision will be made on which country's embassy could act as a UK interests section. In previous low points in UK-Iran relations the Swedes have played that role, but no decision has yet been made.

Hague will now go to Brussels for an EU foreign ministers' meeting looking for support, and for other capitals to call in resident ambassadors to complain.

The message, as one official put it, would be: "If you let your thugs destroy our embassy and assault or scare our staff, you cannot expect to maintain normal civilised relations with the rest of the world."

Earlier on Wednesday, Norway temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran, citing security concerns, and Sweden summoned Iran's ambassador to Stockholm to its foreign ministry. "Iran has a duty to protect diplomatic premises, and authorities there should have intervened immediately," said a Swedish foreign ministry spokesman.

The Scandinavian countries' reactions follow outspoken condemnation of the attack from the US and France. The US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, said: "The United States condemns this attack in the strongest possible terms. It is an affront not only to the British people but also the international community," she said.

In Iran the attack on the embassy has prompted mixed reactions even among the supporters of the regime. The Iranian foreign ministry last night expressed regret over the "unacceptable behaviour by [a] few demonstrators" and promised an investigation.

But Ali Larijani, the country's powerful parliamentary speaker, told MPs on Wednesday that the attack was the result of "several decades of domination-seeking behaviour of Britain".

Larijani also criticised the UN security council for condemning Tuesday's incident.

"The hasty move in the security council in condemning the students' action was done to cover up previous crimes of Britain and the United States," the semi-official Mehr news agency quoted Larijani as saying during an open session at Iran's parliament.

In contrast , the Iranian foreign ministry said it was committed to protecting diplomatic personnel and said a thorough investigation would be launched.

In Tehran the episode has been seen as the latest episode in an extraordinary power struggle between the conservatives in parliament and the judiciary on one side, and the government of the president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on the other.

Pro-Ahmadinejad supporters have interpreted the recent events as an attempt to hamper the government's efforts to reduce tensions with the international community and undermine the government's foreign policy.

Iranian state agencies, meanwhile, tried to depict Tuesday's events as an spontaneous protest by "university students" and attempted to distance the establishment from the attack.

நெடுங்கேணி: உள்ளூர் விவசாயிகளின் அவல நிலைக்கு ஒரு எடுத்துக்காட்டு

நெடுங்கேணி: திருத்தப்படாத வீதிகளால் உற்பத்திப் பொருட்களை விற்க முடியவில்லை


[ புதன்கிழமை, 30 நவம்பர் 2011, 07:56 GMT ] [ நித்தியபாரதி ]

சேதமடைந்துள்ள இவ்வீதியின் ஊடக நெல்லை எடுத்துச் செல்வதில் சிரமங்கள் காணப்படுவதால் நெடுங்கேணி விவசாயிகளால் தமது நெல்லிற்கான உயர்ந்த பட்ச விலையைக் கோரமுடியாதுள்ளது.

இவ்வாறு IPS இணையத்தளத்திற்காக Amantha Perera எழுதியுள்ள கட்டுரையில் தெரிவித்துள்ளார். அதனை புதினப்பலகை்ககாக மொழியாக்கம் செய்தவர் நித்தியபாரதி.

அக்கட்டுரையின் முழுவிபரமாவது,

மண்குடிசைகள் மற்றும் நிர்மூலமாக்கப்பட்ட கட்டடங்கள் மத்தியில் அமைந்திருந்த அக்கிராமத்தின சேதமடைந்திருந்த வீதியை இனங்காண்பது கடினமாக இருந்தது. இரு ஆண்டுகளிற்கு முன்னர் நிறைவடைந்திருந்த சிறிலங்காவின் வன்முறை நிறைந்த உள்நாட்டுப் போரின் போது ஏவப்பட்ட எறிகணைகளால் ஏற்பட்ட அழிவுகள் தற்போதும் இக்கிராமத்தில் மறையாது உள்ளன.

நெடுங்கேணிக் கிராமத்தை ஏ-09 நெடுஞ்சாலையுடன் இணைக்கின்ற 50 கிலோ மீற்றர் நீளமான வீதியைத் திருத்துவதற்காக தற்போது சீன நாட்டின் பொறியியலாளர்கள் இதனை மேற்பார்வை செய்து வருகின்றனர்.

இக்கிராமத்திலுள்ள பாலங்கள் தற்போது மீளத்திருத்தப்படுகின்றன. யுத்தம் நிறைவுற்று இரண்டரை ஆண்டுகள் கடந்த நிலையிலும் கூட போக்குவரத்துப் போன்ற அடிப்படை வசதிகள் இந்தக் கிராமத்து மக்களின் பயன்பாட்டிற்காகச் செய்து கொடுக்கப்படவில்லை என்பதற்கு நெடுங்கேணிக் கிராமத்திற்கு ஊடாகச் செல்லும் சேதமடைந்த வீதி சிறந்த எடுத்துக்காட்டாக உள்ளது.

இவ்வீதி நேர்த்தியான முறையில் திருத்தப்பட்டு பொருட்களுடன் வாகனங்கள் வருவதற்கான அனுமதிகள் வழங்கப்படும் போதே தாம் மகிழ்ச்சியடைவோம் என வவுனியா வடக்கு பல்நோக்குக் கூட்டுறவுச் சங்கத்தில் பொதுமுகாமையாளராகப் பணியாற்றும் கனகசபை உதயகுமார் தெரிவித்தார். "இந்த வீதி செப்பனிப்பட்டு பயன்பாட்டிற்கு விடப்படும் தினமன்று நாம் மகிழ்வாக இருப்போம்" எனத் தெரிவித்தார்.

சிறிலங்காவின் யுத்தம் இடம்பெற்ற வடக்குப் பகுதியில் அதாவது வன்னி என நன்கறியப்பட்ட பிரதேசத்தில் அமைந்துள்ள ஒரு கிராமமே நெடுங்கேணி ஆகும்.

யுத்தம் தீவிரமடைந்திருந்த காலத்தில் இக்கிராமத்து மக்கள் வேறிடங்களிற்குத் தப்பிச் சென்று வாழ்ந்ததால் யுத்தப் பாதிப்புக்கள் ஒப்பீட்டளவில் இங்கு குறைவாகவே உள்ளன. எனினும் இந்தக் கிராமத்தில் எஞ்சியுள்ள ஒவ்வொரு சுவர்களிலும் துப்பாக்கி ரவைகளின் அடையாளங்கள் பதிந்து போயுள்ளன.

உதயகுமார் தனது பணியகமாகப் பயன்படுத்துகின்ற அறையின் கூரையில் உள்ள பெரிய துவாரத்தின் ஊடாக சூரிய ஒளிக்கற்றைகள் அவரது அறைக்குள் பட்டுத் தெறிக்கின்றன. "இது எறிகணை வீச்சால் ஏற்பட்ட துவாரமாகும்" என அவர் விளக்கினார்.

அவரது பணியக அறையின் சுவரில், சிறிலங்காவில் நிலைகொண்டிருந்த பிரிவினைவாத இராணுவக் குழுவைத் தோற்கடித்த புகழைக் கொண்டுள்ள அந்நாட்டின் அதிபரான மகிந்த ராஜபக்சவின் படம் மாட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது.

டிசம்பர் 2009ம் ஆண்டிலிருந்து வன்னியில் மீள்குடியேற்றப்பட்டு வரும் கிராமங்களில் நெடுங்கேணியும் ஒன்றாகும். நெடுங்கேணியை மிகப் பெரிய கிராமமாகக் கொண்டுள்ள வவுனியா வடக்கு பிரேதச செயலர் பிரிவில் 3700 இற்கும் மேற்பட்ட குடும்பங்கள் மீள்குடியேற்றப்பட்டுள்ளதாக ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபையின் அறிக்கையில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இங்கு மீள்குடியேறிய மக்கள் தமது வாழ்வாதார மேம்பாட்டுக்காக விவசாயம் மற்றும் குடிசைக் கைத்தொழில்களில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ளன. இந்நிலையில் நெடுங்கேணி மக்களின் பொருளாதார மையமாக உள்ள வவுனியாவை மிக விரைவில் அடைவதற்கு இக்கிராமம் ஊடகச் செல்லும் வீதியை செப்பனிடுவது மிகவும் அத்தியாவசியமாகும்.

பல பத்தாண்டுகளின் பின்னர் இவ்வாண்டு முதன்முறையாக நெடுங்கேணியில் பாரியளவிலான நெற்பயிர்ச் செய்கை மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இவ்வாண்டில் சிறிலங்காத் தீவில் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட நெற்பயிர்களின் 20 சதவீதம் வெள்ளப் பெருக்கால் அழிவடைந்த பின்னர் தற்போது நெல்லிற்கான விலை அதிகரித்துள்ளது.

ஆனாலும் நெடுங்கேணியில் விளைந்த நெல்லிற்கான விலை அரசாங்கத்தால் நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்ட இழிவு விலையிலும் குறைவாகவே காணப்படுகின்றது. இக்கிராமத்திலுள்ள வீதி முற்றாக சேதமடைந்திருப்பதே இதற்கான பிரதான காரணமாக உள்ளது.

சேதமடைந்துள்ள இவ்வீதியின் ஊடக நெல்லை எடுத்துச் செல்வதில் சிரமங்கள் காணப்படுவதால் நெடுங்கேணி விவசாயிகளால் தமது நெல்லிற்கான உயர்ந்த பட்ச விலையைக் கோரமுடியாதுள்ளது.

அத்துடன் நெல்லை களஞ்சியப்படுத்தி வைப்பதற்கான வசதிகளும் இக்கிராமத்தில் காணப்படவில்லை. "இங்கு நெல்லைக் கொள்வனவு செய்பவர்கள் கிலோ ஒன்றிற்கு ரூபா 21 ஐச் செலுத்தியுள்ளனர். ஆனால் பல்நோக்குக் கூட்டுறவுச் சங்கம் ஒரு கிலோ நெல்லை ரூபா 27 இற்குப் பெற்றுள்ளனர்" என உதயகுமார் தெரிவித்தார்.

சில உற்பத்திப் பொருட்கள் அதாவது மரக்கறிப் பயிர்ச்செய்கை, பால் உற்பத்தி, கோழி உற்பத்தி போன்றன பழுதடையும் இயல்பைக் கொண்டுள்ளதால் சிலவேளைகளில் இவற்றின் விலையும் வீழ்ச்சியடைகின்றன.

வவுனியாவிலுள்ள மொத்த விற்பனைச் சந்தைக்கு நெடுங்கேணியிலிருந்து பொருட்களை எடுத்துச் செல்லும் வாகனம் ஒன்றிற்கு கிட்டத்தட்ட மூன்று மணித்தியாலங்கள் வரை தேவைப்படும். "ஆனால் தற்போது இப்போக்குவரத்திற்கு ஏழு மணித்தியாலங்களுக்கு மேல் தேவைப்படுகின்றது" என உதயகுமார் தெரிவித்தார்.

"நெடுங்கேணி மண்ணில் எந்தப் பொருட்களும் நல்ல விளைச்சலையே தருகின்றன. ஏனெனில் இது மிகவும் வளமான மண்ணாகும். ஆனால் இங்கு உற்பத்தி செய்யப்படும் எந்தவொரு பொருளும் மிகக் குறைந்த விலையிலேயே விற்கப்படுகின்றமை மிகவும் கவலைக்குரிய விடயமாகும்" என நெடுங்கேணி வீதியால் அடிக்கடி பயணிக்கும் ஐ.நா அமைப்பொன்றின் உள்ளுர் பணியாளரான கிருஜா சிவசுப்ரமணியம் தெரிவித்தார்.

அருகிலுள்ள நகரத்திற்கு தேங்காய்களை எடுத்துச் சென்று விற்பனை செய்து வந்த கணவனை இழந்தவரும் இரு பிள்ளைகளின் தாயுமான விமலாதேவி "நீண்ட நேரத்திற்கு எனது பிள்ளைகளைத் தனிமையில் விட்டுச் செல்வதற்கு நான் மிகவும் அச்சப்படுகிறேன்" எனத் தெரிவித்தார். தற்போது விமலாதேவி நாளாந்தம் கூலி வேலை செய்வதற்காக வயல்களைத் தேடிச் செல்கிறார்.

கடந்த தடவையைப் போலவே இந்த முறையும் மழை நன்றாகப் பெய்தால் சிறந்த நெல் விளையும் என எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகின்ற போதிலும், நெடுங்கேணியும் அதற்கு அருகிலுள்ள ஏனைய கிராமங்களில் வாழும் மக்களும் வழமைபோல் பெரும் துன்பங்களை அனுபவிக்கின்றனர்.

மழை தொடர்ச்சியாகப் பெய்கின்ற போது இக்கிராமங்களின் போக்குவரத்துப் பாதைகள் மேலும் மோசடைவதாக இறுதியில் வெளியிடப்பட்ட ஐ.நா நிலவர அறிக்கையில் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இக்கிராமத்தில் தற்போது அரைக்கும் ஆலைகள் போன்ற பல புதிய விடயங்கள் நிர்மாணிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள போதிலும், இவ்வாறான எந்தவொரு நிலையங்களும் இவ்வீதி திருத்தும் வரை தமது முழுமையான பயனை அக்கிராமத்து வாழ் மக்களுக்கு வழங்க முடியாது என்பதே உண்மையானதாகும்.

"எமது வீதி திருத்தப்படும் போதே எங்களது வாழ்வு சிறப்புப் பெறும்" என இக்கிராமத்துப் பிள்ளைகளின் சார்பாக 10 வயது நிரம்பிய அம்பிகாவதி தெரிவித்தார். இச்சிறுமி தனது தந்தையை ஏப்ரல் 2009ல் இழந்தார். இதன் பின்னர் இவரது தாயார் தனது நான்கு மகள்களையும் பராமரித்து வருகிறார்.

"எமது தோட்டத்திலிருந்து எங்களால் நல்ல அறுவடையைப் பெற்றுக் கொள்ள முடியும். ஆனால் அதற்குத் தகுந்த நியாயமான விலையை எங்களால் பெற்றுக் கொள்ள முடியாவிட்டால் அதனால் என்ன பயன்?" என அச்சிறுமி வினவுகிறார்.

நன்றி: புதினப்பலகை