Drive Green staff donate Rs. 1.2 m to Aranayake landslide survivors

Staff at Drive Green vehicle emission testing service raised Rs. 1.2 million for survivors of the landslide of 17 May, the worst natural disaster to strike Aranayake, Samasara in the Kegalle district of Sabaragamuwa province.

The landslide wreaked havoc across its craggy terrain, dislodging whole villages and causing extensive damage to its agricultural economy, which revolves round rubber, tea, banana and mahogany plantations.

Whole swathes of Udabage, Pallebage, Elagapitiya and Siripura in Aranayake had plunged sweeping down upon villagers trapped below and above, leaving survivors without homes, belongings or hope.

“Drive Green staff from all branches island wide contributed a day’s pay and the company matched the total raised, “ said Director/General Manager Rajeev De Alwis of CleanCo Lanka Ltd, the company managing Drive Green Vehicle Emission Testing Centres Islandwide.

58 displaced families from Elagapitiya Janapadaya Siripura village now living in makeshift huts in Wasanthagama received financial aid on  30 September at a simple ceremony arranged at Aranayaka Provincial Hospital premises in the presence of Aranayake Divisional Secretariat Z.A.M. Faizal, CleanCo Lanka Director/General Manager Rajeev De Alwis, Aranayaka Coordinating Committee Co Chairman, former Deputy Minister Lalith Dissanayake and Aranayaka Coordinating Committee Co Chairman and Aranayaka UNP National Organiser Nimal Jayasinghe.

DriveGreen management praised and thanked Management Assistant H P W S Kumari , Dr Gamunu Wickremasinghe, Grama Niladaris, and the staff of divisional secretariats for assistance rendered towards the donation campaign.

Clean Co staff members from head office and those representing the nine provinces also participated in the social hospitality program held at the Aranayaka Provincial Hospital premises.