Dredging of Nandikadal lagoon halted

By Romesh Madushanka  

The Mullaitivu Assistant Commissioner of Elections instructed the ongoing work on the project of dredging of both sides of the Wattukkal Bridge in Mullaitivu and the widening to be stopped temporarily and to recommence same after the Elections are over. 

 On a request made by the fishermen engaged in fishing in the Nandikadal lagoon and on the sides of the Wattukkal Bridge, the Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources Douglas Devananda initiated a project to deepen the area and the dredging to be done.  

When a group of officials tasked with the operation visited the area to commence the project on Monday and while they were making observations, police officers and Election Monitors had arrived at the site and informed them to halt the ongoing work and to commence the operations seven days after the elections.  
However, a group of fisherfolk protested over the sudden stoppage of this observation and dredging activities, which prompted the police officers to quell the situation and bring it under control.