The 200th Reverse Osmosis plant declared open
 

Under a visionary concept of the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne and with spirited leadership of Captain Priyankara Dissanayake of Navy’s Research and Development Unit, the Sri Lanka Navy initiated a timely programme in view of finding solutions to widespread community problems among civilian population. Providing the right start to this initiative, two low-budget Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants were first set up at the villages of Poonewa and Kadawath Rambewa on 22nd December 2015.

This community service project initiated with such a noble cause, marked yet another significant milestone with the opening of 200th RO plant by the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne at the Dambadawaththa Sri Sudarshanaramaya temple in Kurunegala today (5). The Commander of the Navy extended his gratitude for the Navy’s Research and Development Unit for playing an instrumental role by shouldering this national cause and making further strides for the successful continuation of the project.

The significant occasion was also attended by Venerable Maha Sangha, Commander Northwestern Naval Area, Rear Admiral Rasika Dissanayake, senior officers, sailors and a large number of residents in the area.

The facility at Dambadawaththa Sri Sudarshanaramaya is capable of processing safe drinking water for 960 families residing in the area and it had been installed utilizing the generous monetary allocations made by the Sri Lanka Navy’s Social Responsibility Fund.

This noble effort of the Sri Lanka Navy had received a growing recognition both within and away from the country. That enabled this worthy cause to grow strength to strength making use of the allocations made by several community organizations to install more Reverse Osmosis plants in areas prone to Kidney Disease. Besides a number of local and foreign organizations such as; Fire Fly Mission Singapore, Pina Organization, Government and Non-Governmental Organizations, Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease, Department of Police, Sri Lanka Customs, Sonduru Hithaththo Organization, Galle Face Hotel and Sirasa Gammadda Programme have also been extending their funds for this community service effort.

The Navy managed to install 56 RO plants at school premises to date and provide safe drinking water for over 75,000 school children who are considered to be the future generation of this country. Moreover, the Navy had also set up these facilities in 11 districts across the country making way for more than 100,000 families in areas which are prone to this plight.

This particular community service project of the Navy was inaugurated on 22nd December 2015 and as a result of the dedication and effectiveness of the Navy’s Research and Development Unit, they were able to open the 100th RO plant on 14th January 2017, in a record time. Making the proceedings more expeditious they declared open the 200th RO system today. Further, this magnanimous project of the Navy will be placed in a higher place among a large number of other community service projects operated in the country. Above all, this national cause has recently been recognized at the Japan Sri Lanka Technical and Cultural Association’s awards ceremony.

Stepping further ahead with the initiatives of the project, the Navy’s Research and Development Unit went on to produce a Sea Water Plant in a bid to address the drinking water crisis of needy population. Most importantly, they were also able to save a staggering amount of public money amounting to Rs 30 million allocated by the Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease for RO plant production. Making use of the said money, the Research and Development Unit had produced solar-powered RO plants. Incidentally, the Navy had installed 15 solar-powered RO plants and hopes to set up 30 units in due course.

One of the most striking feature of the maintenance crew of the Navy’s Research and Development Unit is that, they were able to keep all these RO facilities in operational status around the clock. Further, more than 94 systems fixed by other organizations and were in non-operational condition, have been rectified by the Navy’s maintenance crew free of charge enabling the public to access for safe drinking water. The public conveyed their heart felt gratitude to the Navy and the Commander of the Navy for the intimacy extended towards them.

The Navy continues to install more RO facilities in areas where high prevalence of Kidney Disease is recorded and the initiative has become an integral part of the Kidney prevention programme carried out by the government.