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Irrigation ready to work with others
View(s):What is DWC doing, ask experts
During the panel discussion, Irrigation Director Abeysiriwardena quoting Parakramabahu the Great stated that Sri Lanka should “not allow a single drop of water falling from the sky to flow to the sea without serving mankind”.
He stressed that the country needed to optimize the returns of water resources so as to ensure sustainable economic and social development while safeguarding the environment.
Referring to the ‘unseasonal’ release of water to Minneriya, Mr. Abeysiriwardena said that the reservoir behaviour did deviate in 2021. The reasons attributed were increased hydro-power generation to overcome the fuel crisis and decreased cultivation due to the fertilizer problem.
He cited ‘constraints’ in holistic water management as lack of coordination among the stakeholders – not a single request being received by his department up to 2021 but many complaints coming through various parties including the media since then; the objectives of the Moragahakanda reservoir not being clear to many officers; and the functions of the Mahaweli water panel not being appreciated by other institutions.
A human-human conflict may develop beyond the human-elephant conflict (HEC) as a result of clashing objectives, he added.
Mr. Abeysiriwardena called for ideas, proposals and constructive criticism, leading to the experts appreciating the openness and willingness of the irrigation sector to accommodate other objectives.
However, the experts strongly questioned the role played or not played by the DWC in the Minneriya-Kaudulla disaster. This disaster is ringing a loud and clear death knell for the elephants of the ‘Gathering’ which are under the guardianship of the DWC.
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