News
Canal network to help improve irrigation
View(s):Reservoirs and canals will be built as a priority by the Ministry of Irrigation, under the Uma Oya downstream development project to channel and store water which will be released when the Karandagolla power station comes on line, along with the completion of the Uma Oya upstream project in June.
Irrigation Minister Roshan Ranasinghe told the Sunday Times priority will be given to building the Alikota Ara reservoir, enlarging the Handapanagala reservoir, Alikota Ara transfer canal and Kuda Oya reservoir before June, as power generation from the upper stream project will begin by then.
He said the Rs 17.9 billion, Government-funded, Irrigation Department-driven project, to be completed by 2024, will benefit 4,000 farmer families and allow them to grow for three seasons. The project will fill up 115 small tanks, increasing the availability of water for farmers.
Mr Ranasinghe said the project has benefited the villagers.
The former director general of the Irrigation Department Nihal Siriwardena said the Alikota Ara reservoir and the Handapanagala reservoir enlargement are fully complete.
He said the Alikota Ara transfer canal, too, is 57% complete, while the Kuda Oya reservoir is nearing completion. The Kuda Oya to Sinhalayagama transfer canal is 56% complete.
Mr Siriwardena said the Uma Oya downstream development benefits cultivations and inland fishing. “The environment is benefiting from the downstream project as the dry and arid areas will get more water. The wildlife will recover.’’
He said there are plans to provide a small volume of the water requirement of Hambantota mega city as a part of the project.
The resident engineer of Handapanagala reservoir, Amal Liyanage said the reservoir has been enlarged from 500 acre-feet to 15,000 acre-feet. As a result, up to 1,700 acres on the right bank can be cultivated, compared with 600 acres earlier. “The canal system on the right side of the reservoir was improved. Now, farmers can cultivate two main seasons, and another intermediate season.’’
He said that those who obtained damages for their cultivation land in Hali Ela, Uva Paranagama, and Wellawaya due to the Uma Oya upstream project, were given land near the left bank of the Handapanagala reservoir. So, the water supply to those farmlands will also come via the newly-improved reservoir. “There are about 300 villages providing labour to build the Handapanagala reservoir. There are labourers, masons, porters, and others.’’
He said that about 1,500 families are benefiting as the Irrigation Department has enrolled nearby villages to the construction area.
According to the project, more than 10,879.5 acres of land can be newly-cultivated. The Alikota Ara to Kuda Oya transfer canal itself will allow farmers to newly-cultivate 3,328 acres of land. The Handapanagala left bank main canal will provide water for 3,869.7 acres of land and allow farmers to extend their cultivations.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!