MORAGAHAKANDA PROJECT TO THE RESCUE

Moragahakanda Reservoir would feed 59,000 acre feet of water to Minneriya, Girithale and Parakrama Samudra tanks

Polonnaruwa Govt. Agent Ranjith Ariyaratne said all tanks and reservoirs in the Polonnruwa District would be fed with water from the Moragahakanda Project to provide irrigation facilities for paddy cultivation in the Yala season. Speaking at a meeting of the District Agricultural Committee on Wednesday (21) he said that farmers need not entertain any fears about a shortage of water for Yala cultivation. But he stressed on the need of effective water management. He said at present the capacity of the Moragahakanda Reservoir stood at 100,000 acre feet and Minneriya, Girithale tanks and Parakrama Samudra reservoir would be fed with 59,000 acre feet of water.

“Farmers in several areas lost the Maha season for want of irrigation facilities. Yala cultivation would also be in danger if water was not released in time. With this in view steps would be taken to feed tanks and reservoirs in the Polonnaruwa District with water from the Moragahakanda Reservoir. However farmers must pay particular attention to water management during the prevailing dry weather. We are not prepared to ignore paddy cultivation in the Elahera colony. A plan is being hatched by organised groups to gain political mileage by misleading the farmers. Farmers must strictly adhere to the decision taken at the cultivation committee meetings,” the GA added.

President of the Elahera Farmer Organisation Ananda Edusuriya, Secretary of the Girithale Farmer Organisation Cyril Karunaratne and representatives of several other farmers organizations attended the meeting.