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by Florence Wickramage

Farmers in Lunugamvehera who have banded themselves together as the "Menik Ganga Diversion Organisation" are planning a shramadana campaign today (14) to divert the Menik Ganga to Lunugamvehera via the Yala National Park.

Executive Director Hemantha Vithanage of the Environmental Foundation Limited said this was a highly irregular act. If this venture goes through it will have serious repercussions on the wild life in Yala.

The farmers plan to divert the Menik Ganga at Demodera by placing sand bags. They hope to divert the Menik Ganga through a 10 kilometre canal which had been cut after the relocation of the Handapanagala elephants. Villagers plan to cut a further 2 kilometres to extend the existing "elephant canal".

The new canal will be joined to Kirindi Oya where there is a natural canal and then on to Lunugamvehera. There are a few Elephant corridors in this area which are often frequented by elephants.

Vithanage said that already Kataragama and surrounding villages have been affected by the Menik Ganga drying up. It is also being diverted to supply water to the Pelawatte Sugar Corporation. If the farmers' attempts to divert the river further is not prevented the result would be disastrous with both villagers and wildlife suffering without adequate drinking water, he added.

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