No more foreign irrigation engineers: Nimal Siripala

I have decided not to bring down foreign irrigation engineers and keep trust on our own engineers. I have already recruited 200 engineers, 400 assistants and 500 irrigation labourers

Irrigation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has said that he would not bring down foreign irrigation engineers and keep trust on Sri Lankan engineers.

“I have decided not to bring down foreign irrigation engineers and keep trust on our own engineers. I have already recruited 200 engineers, 400 assistants and 500 irrigation labourers with the objective to meet our agriculture and irrigation targets. New recruits will be given a thorough training on irrigation technology and employed in the Mahaweli zones and paddy cultivation areas,” Minister De Silva said.

The minister also said that his ministry had contributed heavily to make Sri Lanka self sufficient in rice and the next target of the Ministry is to make Sri Lanka one of the major rice exporter in the region. Ad- dressing a ceremony held to mark the handing over of the Wekumbura Tank in Uva- Paranagama after reconstruction to the farmers, Minister De Silva said he would take every effort to construct at least one irrigation tank at each and every constituency to realize the target.

The Wekumbura Tank that had been renovated costing Rs. 15 million will provide water to 200 hectares in Yala and Maha seasons. It will also serve as a source of fresh water fish. Minister De Silva released a stock 5,000 fish to the tank for breeding.