China provides Sprinkler Irrigation Systems to Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: The Chinese Government has donated 170 Sprinkler Systems valued at Rs. 70 million. Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka Sun Guoxiang handed over the equipment to the President yesterday.

The cultivators in the dry zone face difficulties due to water shortage for cultivation during the drought season.

This problem is aggravated due to lack of proper management in the use of water.

The National Disaster Management Centre under the Disaster Relief Services Ministry has formulated a number of projects to reduce the impact of droughts. Under these projects, rain water harvesting system, agro wells, rain water ponds and small-scale drinking water programmes have been initiated. The People's Republic of China has evaluated these projects and agreed to help the Ministry's efforts by providing Sprinkler Irrigation Systems.

These sprinkler systems will be distributed among the cultivators selected from Divisional Secretariat Divisions, which are being effected by droughts. One hundred and seventy cultivators have been selected from Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Badulla, Ampara, Puttalam, Moneragala, Jaffna, Mannar, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Hambantota districts.

The cultivators will be educated on the proper and economic use of water ways of facing droughts and thereby improve the living conditions of the farmers.