Work on 1,000 tanks complete

Uditha Kumarasinghe

COLOMBO: The Agrarian Services and Farmer Community Development Ministry has completed the renovation of nearly 1,000 tanks throughout the country under the Government's ambitious "Ten thousand tank project."

The Government has allocated Rs.1,000 million to implement the tank project next year. Following the success achieved by the project, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has pledged to grant Rs.1,500 million to the project for 2008, Agrarian Services and Farmer Community Development Minister S.M.Chandrasena told the Daily News yesterday.

According to the Minister, the tank rehabilitation project is being successfully conducted. The target of the Ministry is to complete the renovation of 8,000 tanks by the year 2010.

Nearly 25,000 tanks spread throughout the country have come under the Ministry purview. The Ministry through the tank rehabilitation project has taken measures to renovate and preserve the country's small and medium scale tank network by enlisting the peoples' support, he said.

Due to the unstinted cooperation extended by the Farmers Organisations and the people, the Ministry has been able to complete the renovation of nearly 1,000 tanks.

Of these 1,000 tanks renovated, 200 tanks are cited in the Anuradhapura district. The Ministry has also renovated a large number of tanks in Hambantota, Kurunegala, Polonnaruwa and Ampara districts, the Minister said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry will utilise a new technology for dredging tanks. The Sri Lanka Organisation for the Protection of Irrigation Tanks have pledged their assistance towards this end. The new technology will be used to desilt tanks without causing any damage to aquatic life. The earth thus obtained could be used to meet the current sand shortage, he said.