General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, the brainchild behind ‘Thuru Mithuru - Nawa Ratak’ project as the Chief Guest who was on a tour to the peninsula symbolically planted the first sapling in the presence of Major General Jagath Kodithuwakku, Commander, SF-J, Major General Chandana Wickramasinghe, General Officer Commanding, 51 Division and several Senior Officers.
To this date, more than 7000 coconut saplings have been planted in the SFHQ- Jaffna compound under the guidance of respective Jaffna Commanders who were in office. Troops after inauguration began planting to cover the entire land patch inside the farm.
Today’s coconut planting ceremony organized by the 51 Division HQ assumed more significance as the day’s Chief Guest was invited to give away free 50 dry ration packs and a stock of coconut and palmyrah saplings to a selected group of 50 Jaffna civilians to coincide with General Shavendra Silva’s visit to the SFHQ-J. Those beneficiaries were invited to the SFHQ-J before the distribution got underway.