HEAVY RAINS ENDANGER MAHAWEWA IN MIHINTALE

The Mahawewa which has been filled with rain water at Katupotha in Mihintale is in danger of breaking away due to the heavy rain experienced during the past three days. This risky situation had emerged because a part of the dam, about 100 feet away from the sluice gate of the wewa has begun to cave-in on Wednesday (17). Villagers said there could be a huge damage if the dam breaks, as nearly 300 acres of paddy land are cultivated with the water received from this wewa.

The villagers further said that this wewa was renovated in 2012 incurring an expenditure of Rs.3.5 million and it has begun to cavein due to removal of the wave breaker that had been constructed against the dam.they also said that this was the first time that the tank was filled with water, after it had been renovated.

They pointed out that a member of the Mihintale Pradeshiya Sabha had taken the contract for renovating this wewa in 2012 but it had not been done properly. They requested the government officers to take steps to prevent this dam from being broken away because they had not been able to cultivate for the last three seasons due to the prevailing drought.

However, government officers have taken steps to prevent it while the soldiers of the Keleththewa Army camp, along with the villagers in Katupotha, have covered the vulnerable area using sand bags, to avert a disaster.