BUND TO BE DEMOLISHED TO SAVE WORK-SITE

Residents of the area and representatives of farmer organizations expressed concern about the steps taken by the Mahaweli Authority to demolish the Guruwela tank bund constructed at a colossal expenditure under the Moragahakanad-kalauganga Reservoir Project. They said the massive project of constructing the tank bund took two years to complete and raised concerns that Mahaweli Authority engineers were now planning to demolish the tank bund and surreptitiously release the water to save the work-site of a bridge being constructed along the Laggala-wilgamuwa road.

Residents said the Guruwela tank was being constructed under the Moragahakanda-kaluganga project to provide irrigation facilities to paddy cultivation in the Laggala area.

“The Mahaweli Authority engineers are using heavy duty machinery to demolish the tank bund constructed at a colossal cost to release water to save a work-site of a bridge. Earth and other material to construct the tank bund had been transported from distant areas,” a representative of a farmer organization said.

Laggala Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Buddhika Senaratne said he had received complaints regarding the demolition of the tank bund. He said the delay on the part of the contractors to complete the construction of the bridge had resulted in the demolition of the tank bund to save the work-site from flood threats. Mr. Senaratne said demolishing the tank bund to save the work-site of a bridge was a matter of serious concern and pointed out that the move by the engineers be probed.

Meanwhile, Mahaweli Authority Technical Officer Ranjith Ranaweera said the disastrous situation that had suddenly arisen had demanded the release of water in the tank. He said the work-site of the bridge might go under water and cause damage to Laggala-wilgamuwa main road as well.

Moragahakanda-kaluganga Reservoir Deputy Director Mahinda Amarasuriya said the construction work of the tank had been undertaken by the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority and that he was not in possession of the details of the expenses incurred on the project.