Dahasak Maha Wev program continues
 

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The Government has decided to conduct the "Dahasak Maha Wev" project (Thousand Tanks) as planned. It aims to renovate 1,500 derelict tanks throughout the country during this year.

The Presidential Secretariat has instructed Agriculture, Lands and Irrigation Ministry Secretary Tissa Warnasuriya to go ahead with this tank renovation project as scheduled without suspending it due to the changes made in the Ministry, a Ministry spokesman told the Daily News.

The Dahasak Maha Wev Project is the Government's nation building exercise which has targeted the renovation of 10,000 tanks throughout the country within the next four years under the theme of `reviving a rich irrigation based civilisation and rebuilding a prosperous nation.'

Under the second phase of the Dahasak Maha Wev Project, the Treasury has already allocated Rs. 766 million to renovate these 1,500 tanks during this year, the spokesman said.

A discussion was held at the Agriculture Ministry last week under the patronage of Ministry Secretary Warnasuriya to brief Ministry officials on this tank rehabilitation program implemented by the Government to revive and reawaken the country's glorious irrigation network by renovating all derelict tanks.

A decision was taken at this discussion to complete the renovation of 1,500 tanks by the end of October this year. It was also decided to complete on time the renovations which are already in progress, he said.

All District Agrarian Development Assistant Commissioners, District Irrigation Engineers and the officials of Agriculture Ministry and Irrigation Department also attended the discussion. Meanwhile, the Ministry intends to complete the relevant project plans and sign agreements in relation to these tanks to be renovated by July 31 this year.

The Ministry commenced the second phase of this project targeting 1,500 selected tanks with the ceremonial inauguration of work on the Lulnewa Weva in Kahatagasdigiliya, Anuradhapura on May 8. Under the first phase of the Dahasak Maha Wev Project, over 940 tanks had been renovated last year.