The Hon. Mohamed Sali Naleem

¶ 01 Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.

¶ 02 Hon. Presiding Member, I first thank the Almighty for the opportunity to speak at this committee stage debate on the allocations to the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure.

¶ 03 Not only in Batticaloa but across the country, Eravur has contributed significantly to cashew production—“cashew” means Eravur. Various diseases affecting cashew trees in Eravur have not been addressed by the relevant departments; as a result, trees have declined to the extent that children there may not even know what cashew is. I ask the Government to provide inputs and saplings to improve cashew production. When national demand is about 25,000 metric tons, Sri Lanka produces only about 10,000, importing roughly 15,000 metric tons from countries like Tanzania. Please prioritize cashew production and provide necessary funding. In the past, import permits were issued to a few, causing great hardship for small traders, as importers supply at high profit margins. Please remedy this.

¶ 04 Every time floods occur in Batticaloa, tens of thousands of acres of farmland are affected, destroying poor farmers’ crops and livelihoods, pushing them to abandon agriculture. Under AFD support—about EUR 150 million in loans and EUR 12 million in grants, totaling EUR 162 million—the Mundeni Aru River Basin Development Project, including connecting Kithul and Ragam tanks and constructing an 11-foot deep tank at Makoya, has had a feasibility study completed, but is now stalled. Hon. Minister, please urgently revive this project. If implemented, an additional 18,000 acres could be cultivated in Batticaloa, the area protected from floods, fisheries improved, overall drinking water needs met, paddy production increased, national income enhanced, and major development achieved. I request urgent action.

¶ 05 Eravur base hospital and the Ayurvedic hospital have deficiencies. Acupuncture services at the Ayurvedic hospital have been suspended for 2–3 years; please restore them. Some of my past development requests were fulfilled—e.g., a generator for Eravur Base Hospital and repairs to Meeraikeni Road—I thank the Government. I now request repairs to Eravur Main Road and Kadhiyar Road; resolve hospital deficiencies; settle land and boundary issues of Eravur Aligar School; address the Majma Nagar elephant fence and Michchi Nagar boundary issues; resolve the 40-year land title problem of Meeraikeni residents; upgrade the Meeraikeni primary care facility to a full hospital with all amenities; and provide electricity and water connections to the An-Noor Charity housing.

¶ 06 I have fulfilled a historic duty entrusted to me by my party leadership and my people at national level. I do not join those who betray the party after enjoying parliamentary positions and then mislead people with false narratives. I return the National List seat given to me by my party, as a faithful member, and resign my position to hand it back to the party. I will contest the upcoming local authority elections for Eravur Urban Council under my party. My people will never betray the party; they will always be committed and bring victory. From today, I bid farewell to this Parliament. Wassalam.