Two Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants declared open in Hambegamuwa
 

As part of the Sri Lanka Navy’s community service programmes carried out with the intention of preventing Chronic Interstitial Nephritis in Agricultural Communities (CINAC), another 2 Reverse Osmosis systems were installed and declared open for community use at the premises of Kotaweheramankada Maha Vidyalaya and Rathambalagama Sri Bodhirajaramaya Temple today (17). At the invitation of Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, the newly installed RO plants were declared open by the Uva Province Project Director, Mr. Jagath Pushpakumara.

A Reverse Osmosis system is very much a necessity in these areas which are prone to Chronic Interstitial Nephritis. The new system at Kotaweheramankada Maha Vidyalaya has the capacity of providing safe drinking water for over 720 children of the school and 380 families in the area, similarly the RO plant at Rathambalagama Sri Bodhirajaramaya is also capable of processing safe drinking water for over 850 families residing in the area. Realizing the grave need for having more Reverse Osmosis plants in areas which are prone to Chronic Interstitial Nephritis, Sri Lanka Navy’s Research and Development Unit installed these two units with the financial assistance of Presidential Task Force on Chronic Kidney Disease Prevention. Accordingly the Navy has installed 39 Reverse Osmosis facilities across the country to date, facilitating the safe drinking water requirement of more than 11,000 school children and 20,000 families. Further the Navy is determined to continue with such community service programmes in the future as well.

The occasion was attended by Ven. Maha Sangha, Dr. Kushan Hettiarachchi from Presidential Task Force on Chronic Kidney Disease Prevention, senior officers, principal, staff, and school children including a large number of residents from respective areas. Further, the Navy initiated a timely progrmme to make the general public aware of CINAC in parallel with the installation of RO plants.