The inauguration ceremony of renovating 2,400 rural tanks connected with “ellanga gammana” or Cascaded Tank-Village system in the Dry Zone and the commencement of the Second Stage of the Wayamba Ela, will be held today (24) under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena at 10.00 a.m. in the premises of the Kubukulawa Tank, Polpithigama.
The “ellanga gammana” or Cascaded Tank-Village system in the Dry Zone, was designated as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The Cascaded Tank-Village System is a connected series of tanks organized within a micro-catchment of the dry zone landscape, storing, conveying and utilizing water from an ephemeral rivulet. It is an ancient, widely used and unique traditional agriculture system. The system provides water for irrigation, domestic purposes, animals and ecosystems.
This project has been implemented under the guidance of President Maithripala Sirisena with the aim of nourishing the field of agriculture utilizing this agrarian system. Under this programme around 300 tanks will be renovated in the Kurunegala District.
Meanwhile, President Maithripala Sirisena will inaugurate Stage II of the Wayamba Ela Project. Under this scheme, waters from the Mahaweli will be diverted from the Eastern Province to the Northern Province.
The issue of not having sufficient water to cultivate the Yala- Maha seasons for the farmer community in the North Western province and the people of the area being victimized to kidney diseases due to the lack of clean water will be provided permanent solutions where after the completion of the project water of 105,000 feet acres of the Mahaweli river could be provided to Pollpithigama, Ahatuwewa, Galgamuwa, Mahawa, and Ambanpola areas of the Kurunegala district.
The estimated amount for this project is Rs. 16,000 million to be completed in 2024. Developing 12,500 hectares of lands and providing irrigational water for 13,500 farmer families will be completed under the project where the number of families be provided benefits from this project will be 40,000.
Through the Wayambe Ela project the irrigational water will be securely provided to the Galewela, Wamedilla, and Dewahuwa reservoirs of the Matale district of the Central province as well as 315 small reservoirs and 88 main reservoirs in Mee Oya, Hakwatuna Oya, and Kala Oya Drones of North Western Province will be sustained by the water of the Mahaweli River. The main cannel built in order to channel the water is 92km in length where the water of the Mahaweli river crossing from Lenadora Dambulu river will be channeled to the left bank of the Wamedilla Cannel and then towards Mahakithula and Maha kiri Ula reservoirs.
Then the water will be channeled through two cannels from Mahakiri Ula reservoir to Kaduruwewa in Ahatuwewa area with 21km in length and towards Madiyawa Maha wewa through Maha kitula reservoir with 20 km in length through such a cannel to the expected water residing areas. In addition, water will be provided to 1000 hectares of farmer lands which were suffering from deficiency of water of Yapahuwa area from the Madiyawa Cannel to Yapahuwa Cannel which is of 10 km in length. When this water is provided the farmer lands of those areas will be able to cultivate within both Yala and Maha seasons where it will also help uplift the livelihoods of the farmer community of the area.
