SOME 192,000 FAMILIES

DEPRIVED OF CLEAN DRINKING WATER

The Disaster Management and Irrigation Ministry said yesterday 192,148 families in 17 districts were without clean drinking water owing to the drought condition prevalent from 2017.

State Minister of Disaster Management, Palitha Range Bandara told a media briefing yesterday that 17 districts viz. Polonnaruwa, Ampara, Anuradhapura, Mannar, Jaffna, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Trincomalee, Mullaitivu, Kurunegala, Moneragala, Batticaloa, Hambantota, Puttalam, Matale, Kegalle and Kalutara, had been affected by the drought.

He said 10,712 tanks and more than 400 bowsers had been allocated to provide water for affected families, and that a sum of Rs.58 million had been allocated for the same.

“Several water management projects including Inginimitiya, Rajangana and Yan Oya schemes have already been implemented as

10,712 tanks and more than 400 bowsers have been allocated to provide water for affected families. A sum of Rs.58 million has been allocated for the same

a precaution to the drought,” he said.

It was revealed that almost all large and medium sized reservoirs only hold 35 per cent of its total capacity at the moment, and that specialised tube wells would soon be introduced for agricultural purposes.

Meanwhile, Meteorology Department Director General K.H.M.S. Premalal said there would be a turnaround in the weather by November as ‘El Nino’ was expected to hit the country around that time.

“Inter-monsoon conditions will also bring in showers in the month of October. Just like many other countries, Sri Lanka is also becoming vulnerable to climatic changes,” he said.