222nd Anniversary Celebration Message

Today is the second day of the month of August, two thousand and twenty-two AD. At the moment when the Survey Department of Sri Lanka marks its proud approach of two hundred and twenty two years, I humbly mention that it is an absolute blessing of my life being able to hold the post of the fifty-second Surveyor General of that prestigious institution. The inauguration of our department runs to a great past. It was in the year one thousand eight hundred. In order to establish a formal mechanism for dividing lands by having surveyed, the royal decree for establishment of the department was issued in Galle on the second day of the month of August in the year one thousand eight hundred and it was issued by Mr. William Boyd, the Acting secretary of the government.

Having started with five surveyors under the complete supervision of a Surveyor General, our department is an institution progressed step by step. The current staff, consisting of surveyors, map technological officers, photogrammetrists, photo lab technicians, remote sensing technicians, litho technicians, survey field assistants & the officers belong to miscellaneous services in combined service, is about six thousand. This department is crowned today as the first and oldest department in Sri Lanka inheriting a proud history of two hundred and twenty two years.

Presently, the Sri Lanka Survey Department is performed a valuable service to the nation, having prepared maps and plans by collection of more accurate data and carrying out of surveys. Since the role of the department have expanded with the introduction of modern technology in the field of surveying and the use of different kinds of technical strategies and equipment, having performed the tasks carried out so far more quickly and accurately with great dedication of the entire staff of the department is now enriched enough to build a closer relationship with the public as well as with other institutions related to this field.

I think I should take this opportunity to offer my respectful obeisance to the entire staff, including the 51 former Surveyor Generals, who served with dedication to create a proud and noble history of 222 years to this department. I offer my respectful obeisance on behalf of the Survey Department to the entire staff of the current department, engaged in their duties together as possible even in the face of the current economic and social crisis in our country. Having followed "The characteristic of a true professional is to offer more than what he receives" and having determined to do what is necessary to escape from the severe economic and social crisis situation in the country, to put the next step of the department, I bless that the entire staff will get strength and courage to lead the future of the country towards prosperity having hand in hand with mutual support.

A.Dissanayake

Surveyor General