India to help restart farming in Lankan areas freed from LTTE

Ajay Kaul

New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) With de-mining of north Sri Lanka
gaining momentum, India is sending a team of agriculture
experts there to assist in activation of farming in the areas
that have been freed from the LTTE control.

The team, to be led by a crop scientist of Indian Council
for Agricultural Research (ICAR), is expected to travel to Sri
Lanka by the end of this month.

The agriculture experts will assess the soil condition,
irrigation facilities and weather conditions among other
aspects to determine how farming could be started in the
areas freed from LTTE control, sources told PTI here.

The timing of the visit has been chosen in view of the
coming crop season.

The team will determine requirements for activation of
farming in those areas so that follow-up assistance could be
extended by India which is set for a massive rehabilitation
and reconstruction agenda in the Tamil-dominated areas, they
said.

The government has also roped in noted agriculture
scientist M S Swaminathan and he is being consulted in the
effort to activate farming in north Sri Lanka.

Activation of farming activities is one of the first
steps aimed at providing livelihood to locals.

The effort to start farming coincides with the progress
being made in de-mining by India of the areas that have been
freed from LTTE control.

Four Indian teams, each comprising 50 experts, are
currently engaged in clearing north Sri Lanka of mines that
had been planted by fleeing LTTE.

India will also be helping in resurrection of railway
network in north Sri Lanka that has been damaged during LTTE
control of the area. The two countries are discussing the
specific projects that India can take up in this regard.

At the same time, a temporary hospital operated by India
in Vavuniya is being wound up after six months of service.

The 100-bedded hospital that was set up soon after the
war between the Sri Lankan army and LTTE got over, has treated
nearly 27,000 patients.

India is also undertaking reconstruction activities in
Sri Lanka's Eastern province, which too is Tamil-dominated.
Among the projects are a rail-bus service which has been
started with vehicles being provided by India.

A 500-MW power plant, set up in Trincomalee through
collaboration between India and Sri Lanka, is also expected to
be started next month. PTI AKK
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