Foreign Minister and SLFP Chief Organiser for Kotte, Rohitha Bogollagama said that his electorate would soon be free of drug cartels and addicts and dengue.

"President Mahinda Rajapaksa has saved the country from terrorism so the rest of us must be able to save it from drugs and dengue epidemic," Minister Bogollagama said addressing a meeting at the Obesekerapura Community Hall to mark the commencement of a dengue eradication programme in four urban divisions in Kotte on Saturday.

A programme had already been commenced to eradicate drug menace from Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte with the direct and active participation of civil society and security forces, he said. All officers in charge of police stations in the area, security forces heads, Local Government institutions, civil and religious leaders had pledged their fullest cooperation for the fight against social evils such as narcotics and crimes, the Minister said.

"Police alone are not capable of eliminating illicit liquor and narcotics. People from the grassroots level must support the "Mathata Thitha" national programme. A monitoring office would be established and steps taken to form village monitoring committees in each and every village" Minister Bogollagama said.

Following the meeting, Minister Bogollagama participated in the dengue eradication project with police and security force members, public health officials, hospital officials, civil society members in Nawala, Obeysekerapura, Gangodawila and Pitakotte areas. He distributed leaflets, met residents and stressed the need for active participation of the public in the fight against dengue.