By Cyril Wimalasurendre, Kandy Staff Corr.

The opening of the road opposite the Sri Dalada Maligawa is only after the end of the war in the North. Protection to the Maligawa is a prime responsibility of the government, declared the Defence Deputy Minister Gen. Anuruddha Ratwatte at a media conference in Kandy Saturday (28) afternoon.

Let us bring about a settlement to the northern Sri Lankan crisis by defeating the LTTE terrorism before considering the opening of the road in front of the sacred place, Gen. Ratwatte noted.

He added, we learnt better lessons from the LTTE bomb attack in 1998. We do not wish to face a similar situation for a second time. So let all of us cooperate in the responsibility of ending the war and solving any problems the Tamil community faced.

The (UNP) could not topple the People’s Alliance (PA) administration, declared the Deputy Defence Minister.

The PA government is elected for six years and it will face an election only at the end of the term, Gen. Ratwatte quipped.

When we were in the opposition we waited for 17 long years to see an end to the UNP administration. The UNP too should be patient, he noted.

There is no setback to the war effort. Our security forces are doing their best in the north regaining lost territory and consolidating what is regained. The terrorists are losing, heavily Gen. Ratwatte explained.

"We cannot fight the war according to the whims and fancies of the foreign journalists. As an inquiry is pending into the recent incident involving a foreign woman journalist we need not further discuss it at the moment, he added.

Sports and Tourism Minister Lakshman Kirielle told the conference that a massive water supply scheme with JAICA aid for Kandy and the suburban areas is under way.

A large area of the mid country including Kandy, outer Kandy, Harispattuwa, Patadumbara and Kundasale will benefit by the water supply scheme that will cost approximately US dollars 5000, Minister Kiriella said.

Deputy Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage Chairman Central PC Mahinda Abeykoon and several others also were present on the occasion.