Message of Surveyor Genaral

It is an utmost honor and immense pleasure, that destiny and opportunity has bestowed upon me, the privilege of assuming office as the 54th Surveyor General of Sri Lanka to guide the Survey Department of Sri Lanka, which is the Mandatory National Organization for fulfilling the Surveying and Mapping requirements of the country.

In this glad moment, I delightfully express my sincerest gratitude to all the fifty-three Surveyor Generals and the staff for their outstanding obligations during the past 223 years. Survey Department was established on the 2nd of August 1800 in Galle, which has ever since been continuously leading a role in most of the development activities in Sri Lanka with pride. The department has rendered unrivaled services to the country by performing its obligatory duties as the pioneer in the dissemination of geo-information products for national demand during the history of 223 years.

Development approach under the theme “A step towards the new century in the digital environment” has brought new expectations for all of us serving in the public service. Necessary action has been taken to introduce citizen charters, online service delivery methods and to decentralize the services. Despite being challenged with limited resources, the Surveyor General’s Office has evolved in digitalizing all surveying and mapping products during the last 223 years and online sharing among users through services for decision making. Other services from Provincial, District and Divisional level are gradually moving towards online. Furthermore, a collective effort and contribution from all the categories of the Survey Department’s staff is expected to meet those challenges.

The Survey Department has massively contributed in surveying tasks throughout the history, entrusting her value and recognition to the nation. Some significant projects among the unforgettable, massive survey tasks, are the preparation of Preliminary plans, Village surveys for settlement, Railway line surveys, Land Development and alienation surveys under various tank projects, Major irrigation projects, Town surveys, establishing accurate geodetic control, leveling network throughout country and so on.

As a stakeholder, Cadastral Surveys are carried out and Cadastral Maps are prepared by the Survey Department for the purpose of issuing Title Certificates with clear titles to every land parcel under the “Bim Saviya‟ program and to develop and maintain a parcel-based land information system for each and every piece of land in the country eventually. Moreover, the department also engaged and contributed to Northern, Central, Ruwanpura Expressway Projects, Plantation Surveys, Acquisition and resettlement surveys and state land alienation for development and agricultural projects, Palali Airport expansion Project and Surveys for the preservation of Archeological sites in the country.

On the other hand, it’s our proud accomplishment as the national mapping organization of this country, that the whole country has been mapped in different scales under the mapping program. The entire country has been mapped as 72 sheets at the scale of “one inch to one mile” and then as 92 sheets at the scale of 1:50,000 followed by 1:10,000 scale maps. The second edition of 1:50,000 scale Topographic Map Series and 1: 10,000 scale Topographic Map Series with the latest technologies has covered the entire country. Moreover, the publishing of the National Atlas of the country in all three languages and the school atlas are more of the remarkable achievements in the history of the department in the field of mapping. In addition, the department has produced different types of maps such as road maps, tourist maps, Divisional Secretariat Maps as per the necessity of the country.

At this juncture, I believe that, it is my duty to remind the contribution of the Survey Department of Sri Lanka to the land surveying education sector in this country. It is no exaggeration to say that the Sri Lanka Survey Department and Institute of Surveying and Mapping, Diyatalawa under the leadership of several Surveyor Generals alone has rendered a tremendous service to this profession and its education over a period of 223 years to advance the profession and its educational activities, amidst numerous challenges nationally and internationally. I am honored to mention that the Department and the Institute of Surveying and Mapping will continue to dedicate this educational service to the country.

I strongly believe at present, the Survey Department is marching ahead in the right direction for the prosperity of our country with dedicated and well qualified professionals with a vision - “To be the leader of Land Information right through” and the mission - “To Provide high quality land information products and services through a professionally qualified and dedicated person” by playing a positive role in nation-building while ensuring opportunity to the future generations.

In conclusion, we will create a disciplined, law abiding, good society to make our motherland a prosperous democratic state under the vision, “A step forward towards the new century in the digital environment” by achieving sustainable development goals.

Wishing you a better tomorrow with courage and dedication through collective effort and contribution!

W. Sudath L. C. Perera
Surveyor General