PREMIER CAUTIONS ABOUT WATER SCARCITY IN FUTURE
Failure to preserve the environment will be disastrous
Water scarcity is going to be a major issue in the coming decades, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesighe said over the weekend. Speaking during a ceremony held in Monaragala to distribute compensation to peasants whose crops were affected by the Sena Caterpillar, the Prime Minister said Sri Lanka will have to suffer dire consequences of its failure to protect the environment.
“We often come out with the words of Dhammapada ‘Devo Wasathu Kalena”. However, we are going to suffer the consequences of our failure to preserve the environment. “Water scarcity is going to be a major issue across the world in few decades. There is going to be a shortage of drinking water and for cooking when it comes to households. There will be a shortage of water for factories. We will have to preserve each drop of water as it was said by King Parakaramabahu the great,” the Prime Minister said.
“Country could experience heavy short term showers instead of seasonal monsoon rains in the future. Water Management is going to be
a priority need. We have already got down seed paddy which is suitable for the impending situation. Some countries have begun experimenting ways to cultivate paddy with lesser amount of water. Sri Lanka also should adopt such methods of cultivation,” he said. “Also it is essential to modernise agriculture. We need to prepare for the modernisation of agriculture. It has to be modernised in the coming few years while It is essential to manage water at the same time. We need to make use of each drop of water. Future regimes will have to face criticism but it will be the duty of the state to save water,” the Premier added.
“In India farmers are educated on the weather patterns over the mobile phone. We too must have a similar facility. We need to go for advanced technology. It is important to train farmers to use modern technology. Department of Agriculture had already started such activities. Ministry of Education has also begun similar programmes, these include making 13- year- school education compulsory. students will be trained on vocational skills other than the rest of the subjects during the final two years in school. We will start the programme of providing tab computers to the Advanced Level students this year. As a result, one would be able to use computers to find out about cultivating crops in the future,” he said.
Also it is essential to modernise agriculture. We need to prepare for the modernisation of agriculture