A group of residents and schoolchildren in several villages including Poonavitiya yesterday morning staged a protest demanding not to allow transport of gravel by tipper trucks on the Poonavitiya-Mahakumbukkadawala Road in the Mahakumbukkadawala Divisional Secretariat Division.
The protesters alleged that the Poonavitiya-Mahakumbukkadawala Road is now impassable due to the tripper trucks that are incessantly transporting gravel.
They said that the Poonavitiya Road has turned into a swamp because of the gravel transportation.
On January 4 morning, two schoolchildren travelling on a motorcycle along with their mother to Poonavitiya Vidyalaya fell and could not attend school because of their mud-stricken uniforms.
Thereafter, a group of residents commenced the protest against the transport of gravel on the road, obstructing traffic.
The two children sustained minor injuries in the incident.
Meanwhile, the teachers and students from Poonavitiya Vidyalaya together with a group of women who were on their way to work at a garment factory, too, joined the protest.
Thereafter, a tense situation arose and a team of Police Officers from the Mahakumbukkadawala Police arrived at the location and brought the protest under control.
On being informed by Officer-In-Charge of the Division of Crimes of the Mahakumbukkadawala Police R. M. S. S. Gunsena, Divisional Secretary Lakshika Migelarachchi arrived and held a discussion with the protestors. Thereafter, a decision was made to halt the transport of gravel until the road was repaired.
The Divisional Secretary said that carpeting the road has already commenced and it will be expedited to resolve the issue as well.
The protestors, thereafter, dispersed.
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