New Topographical Maps of Jaffna District ready

The first batch of the newly developed topographical maps for the Jaffna District were ceremonially presented by S.M.W. Fernando, Surveyor General of Survey Department and Kunio Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan to Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development and Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, Minister of Landand Land Development at the Parliament with the presence of Akira Shimura, Chief Representative of JICA Sri Lanka Office.

The project called “the Digital Topographic Mapping Project for Reconstruction of Northern Region” has been implemented by the Survey Department with technical Cooperation from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) since 2010 through its grant assistance.Currently, the available maps for Northern Province are decades old, and could not be updated due to inaccessibility to the Northern area. With JICA’s assistance, aerial photography of the entire Northern Province had been completed, and the maps are now being developed for Jaffna and Mannar Districts. The first batch, handed over yesterday, targeted to southern part of Jaffna consisted of 38 sheets and remaining part of Jaffna and Mannar District is due December this year. The maps for Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya District will be developed by the Survey Department utilizing aerial photos, equipments and techniques transferred through the project. (www.news.lk)