The prevailing drought is making life almost impossible for residents of Eluwankulama, Boraluwala and Wanathawilluwa, dry zone villages in the Vavuniya District.
The villagers, comprising a population of about 200, say they have endured water shortages for the past 20 years, and that the authorities have repeatedly failed to provide a lasting solution to their water problem.
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| Life is a struggle for the people of this drought-stricken and forgotten village |
The residents, many of them day labourers, are forced to trek four to six kilometres every day to collect water for drinking and washing purposes.
Dry weather prevails all year, with heavy showers occurring only once or twice a year.
The Wanathawilluwa Pradehsiya Sabha used to distribute water once a week, but this practice has stopped, the villagers told the Sunday Times.
Many of the residents suffer from illnesses caused by dehydration, according to resident Nilanthi Amarakoon. “The Kala Oya is just a few kilometres away,” she said. “The authorities could supply us with river water after purifying it.”
T. A. Aloysius Appuhamy said the authorities collected a sum of Rs. 500 from every household in the vicinity to cover the cost of laying water mains for the villages. Four months later, the residents are still waiting for water.
“This is a community project initiated by the village welfare society,” he said. “Water tanks and water lines have been installed, but we still have no water. When we ask the authorities, they make excuses.”
According to T. W. Jagath Weerasinghe, water supplied by the Pradeshiya Sabha contained mud and worms. |
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