Polonnaruwa jogging track project suspended – Minister

Namal Rajapaksa

The government has suspended the project to construct a jogging track on the embankment of the ancient Parakrama Samudra tank in Polonnaruwa on requests made by Maha Sangha.

Youth and Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa told Parliament yesterday (7) that a study will be done on the project to decide its future.

Minister Rajapaksa said the government is carrying out development projects with political intentions, so when a community raises concerns regarding a certain development project, the government will be sensitive to other ideas as well.

Minister Namal Rajapaksa made these observations in reply to a question directed by Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Budhdhika Pathirana during the oral questions round.

Minister Namal Rajapaksa observed that the project to establish gymnasiums at village level was temporarily halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation. He noted that the allocations for the said project were directed to fulfill needs that arose due to the pandemic.He added that the said project will recommence in 2023.

The Minister said the Sports Ministry is to send a squad of selected athletes to receive international training. He said that only in games like Chess that one can give full online training to players while in other sports, the athletes or players must train physically under the strict health guidelines imposed by the Health Ministry.

(Source: Daily News – By Camelia Nathaniel and Amali Mallawaarachchi)