Sampath Bank renovates Dematawa Tank at Paduvasnuwara

Saturday, 9 August 2014 00:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sampath Bank, premier responsible corporate citizen in Sri Lanka, recently reconstructed the Dematawa tank at Paduvasnuvara in the Kurunegla district which is spread over an area of 29 acres. Handing over ceremony of the renovated tank to the general public in the area was held on 23 June 2014. With this initiative, the farmers will hereafter have sufficient water to do paddy cultivation without any interruption. The project was undertaken by the bank as a CSR initiative under the ‘Wewata Jeewayak’, tanks rebuilding program in a bid to assist the dry zone farmers to have a continuous supply of water for their paddy fields both in the ‘maha’ and ‘yala’ seasons. In recent times the farmers could barely manage to cultivate during one season. Nearly two hundred families benefitted by the project which will supply water to over a hundred acres of paddy fields.

The ceremonial handing over of the tank was preceded by the traditional customs of boiling a pot of milk symbolising prosperity, a ‘deva pooja’ invoking the blessings of the ‘devas’ to protect the tank and chanting of ‘sethpirith’. At the official function held at the Dematawa Maha Vidyalaya, Sampath Bank Managing Director Aravinda Perera said that the bank is conscious of its responsibilities towards the community and that the tank project was started in keeping with the bank’s policy of providing a service to the farming community while giving banking solutions to the public. “It was a timely need and the bank considered it as a fulfilment of a national need,” he added. While thanking the engineers and bank officials for ensuring the successful completion of the project, he was also thankful to the support and cooperation given by the people.

Referring to the bank’s initiative in rebuilding and expanding theschool playground of Dematawa Maha Vidyalaya, Sampath Bank Assistant General Manager – Recoveries Upali Dharmasiri said that it was done with the clay collected while constructing the tank. Apart from that a photocopy machine, exercise books and sports equipments were donated to the school. Ten selected students received minor savings accounts.Mammoties were also gifted to the farmers of the village. In his vote of thanks, Dematawa Maha Vidyalaya Principal Nimal Ushetti said that they were well aware of Sampath Bank’s mindfulness of the people’s needs and expressed his gratitude on the completion of the renovation of Dematawa tank and the playground of the school. “If not for the bank’s effort, farmers would not have been able to cultivate their fields during the ‘yala’ season due to lack of water. You have fulfilled that need. The villagers are so thankful to the bank,” he added. Senior DGM – Operation & Branch Credit Saman Herath, DGM – Marketing & Business Development Tharaka Ranwala, DGM – Human Resources Aruna Jayasekera, Sampath Bank Hettipola Branch Manager C.S. Lenora, Sampath Bank officers, project engineers, project manager,Grama Niladhari and members of the cultivation committee were among those present.