Power generation project spells doom to white water rafting
White Water Rafting at Kittulgala, once enormously popular not only among Sri Lankans, but among foreign tourists as well is facing closure according to area residents. The sport has also served as an economic base to many local entrepreneurs as well. They complain that during the past year the sport has been barely able to survive.
Residents claim the construction of a small hydroelectric plant -with a 35 megawatt generating capacity- built by a Chinese company at a point beyond the village of Yatiberiya is hindering the flow of water to the area where the White Water Rafting commences.
Villagers also claim the construction is causing enormous environmental damage to the Kelani basin, destroying the scenic beauty of the area.
They allege construction work has completely destroyed the foliage of the river banks and add a tunnel is being built and large boulders are seen piled up without regard to environment damage paying scant heed to environment–friendly measures.
Fifteen years ago, two companies pioneered White Water Rafting in the area and has now spawned 35 small business enterprises engaged in the sport. To the near 10,000 villagers in the area, White Water Rafting had become their principal means of income.
30- year- old M. Sujeewa, a water rafting pioneer and owner of ' Good Life Water Rafting', said that within a yearand-a-half of the hydro electric plant coming into operation, water rafting may not be possible and visitors to the area would dry up.
He added, though they had written to the President of their predicament and the damage being caused to the environment they had not had a response from him.
‘ This sport' he said ' is performed along the Kelani River over a 5 km stretch, from the village Yatiberiya and ending at the village Kaluboththenna. The ride takes for around an hour giving an exhilarating to participants’.
He added the sport was extremely attractive to foreigners as the sport along the Kelani River follows a natural gradient, unlike in some foreign countries where man-made settings are created.
As a solution he appeals to the authorities to release water from 8.00 am to 4 .00 pm so the sport could flourish once more in the area helping tourism and bringing valuable foreign exchange into the country.