The 100th Reverse Osmosis plant vested with the community by the Navy
 

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 fist set up in the villages of Poonewa and Kadawath Rambewa on 22nd December 2015. Ever since the Navy’s RO plant project grew strength to strength and marking yet another milestone, the 99th and 100th RO units were today (14) vested with the community at the Jaffan Police Station and the village of Urewa, Padaviya respectively. The facility at Urewa Village is capable of processing safe drinking water for 60 families residing in the area. Meanwhile the RO system at the Jaffan Police Station can easily facilitate over 400 Police personnel attached to the station, with safe drinking water. The Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Kidney Diseases and Sri Lanka Police Headquarters were extremely generous in providing necessary finance to set up these two facilities.

For the record, no RO plant producing institute in Sri Lanka had ever made 100 Reverse Osmosis plants thus far. However the Navy’s Research and Development Unit managed to surpass that feat in a record time by producing low-cost but quality RO systems. This will surely be placed higher among the remarkable social responsibility projects carried out in the country.

As result of the noble resolve of the Commander of the Navy together with true commitment and efficiency of the Navy’s Research and Development Unit, 100 of these Reverse Osmosis plants have been installed throughout the country identifying areas where a high prevalence of the Chronic Interstitial Nephritis in Agricultural Communities (CINAC) is recorded. As such, over 46,070 families and 40,350 school children are fortunate to obtain safe drinking water provided free of charge by the Navy. The funds needed to produce these RO plants are generated through a monthly contribution of Rs 75/=, made by each naval personnel at his will, to the Social Responsibility Fund. In addition to that, the Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Kidney Diseases and other Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations also help this magnanimous cause by provision of finance. All these efforts will be a great relief in the efforts of eradicating the renal disease from Sri Lanka in years to come. Moreover, the Navy is also determined to install more RO systems in areas which are prone to this plight. Besides, the alleviation of the renal disease has become a national obligation in the Government’s programme of Kidney Disease Prevention.