(UTV|COLOMBO) President Maithripala Sirisena says at present there are many projects being implemented with the aim of ending the mournful stories related to the farming community as well as to make their lives prosperous.
He made these remarks participating in the commencement of the Second Stage of the Wayamba Ela to be built at a cost of Rs.16,000 million, in Polpithigama, today (24).
Meanwhile, the inauguration ceremony of renovating 2,400 rural tanks connected with “ellanga gammana” or Cascaded Tank-Village system in the Dry Zone was also held under the patronage of the President in the premises of the Kubukulawa Tank, Polpithigama.
Later, the President addressing the farming community at the Polpithigama Public Ground said that he has a good understanding regarding the issues faced by the farmers in this country.
‘Today through a speedy procedure solutions are provided for the long lasted water issue of the farmers in the country’, the President said that adding the Paddy Marketing Board is playing a vital role in raising the price of paddy.
Expressing his views further the President pointed out about the adverse effects that have to be experienced by us as a result of environmental damage in the country during the past few years. According to recent reports, Sri Lanka has reached the fourth place among the world’s worst affected countries in the world in situation of weather and climate changes, the President said. He added that 50 years ago Sri Lanka secured the 97th place in those reports and due to the enormous environmental destruction caused by various racketeers at present the country face such situation. The President emphasized that all those who contributing to the destruction of the environment are responsible for the tragic fate of land becoming deserts faced by our future generation.
After the completion of the project, it is scheduled to channel 105,000 feet Acres of water of the Mahaweli River to the Northern area of the Kurunegala District annually. Thus water will be provided to easily make cultivations within the Polpithigama, Ahatuwewa, Mahawa and Ambanpola Divisional Secretariats in both Yala and Maha seasons where the needs for drinking water for people living in those areas also are answered.
12,500 hectares of lands will be cultivated under the Wayamba Palath Ela project where irrigational water for 13,000 farmer families is to be provided. In addition, when considering the drinking water planning facilities provided under this project the number of families benefited through this are 40,000 in amount. Thus, water of Mahaweli River will be channeled to 315 of small rivers and 8 main rivers belonging to Mee Oya, Hakwatuna Oya, and Kala Oya drones. The main cannel built for that is 9 km in length.
The project, which became a reality due to the strong determination of President Maitheripala Sirisena will be provided monetary aid by the Asian Development Bank and the Sri Lankan Government. The first stage of this project is to be completed in 2019 and the second stage to be completed in the year of 2024.
The Ellanga system project, which reconstructs 2400 reservoirs is a project initiated to reconstruct the reservoirs that aren’t activated in dry areas and to channel irrigational water for those people. The Ellanga reservoir system which connects one village to another is an irrigational technical system in Sri Lanka which is centered on the village and also identified as an important heritage of agriculture by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
300 reservoirs will be reconstructed in Kurunegala district only where the opening of the programme was noted by the reconstruction of the Kumubuwewa, Polopitihgama reservoir by the President as well as the farmer community.
After that commencing the work of the second stage of the Wayamba Ela was initiated by the President after unveiling the Commemoration plaque. The Wayambe Ela Development office was also opened by the President.
9 Water purification systems which were built to provide clean water to the people where the kidney disease is prevailing were presented to the public by the President through the long distance communication system.
Ministers, Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, S.B.Nawinne, Duminda Dissanayake, Mahinda Amaraweera, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Public representatives of North Western Province, Secretary to the President Udaya.R. Seneviratne, Mahaweli Development and Environment Ministry Secretary Anura Dissanayake, the engineers in charge of the project, other officials and Inspector-General of Police Pujith Jayasundara and the heads of Security Forces were present in this event.
Source : pmdnews.lk
