Moragahakanda project starts on January 25

Uditha KUMARASINGHE

COLOMBO: The inauguration of the Moragahakanda-Kaluganga Development Project, the biggest ever development drive launched by the Government will be held at Moragahakanda, Elahara on January 25.

This multi-purpose irrigation scheme estimated at Rs.40,000 million will be the largest ever agriculture development project to be established in Sri Lanka. The project was on the drawing board for nearly 40 years.

This will be the highest ever investment made by a Government on an irrigation scheme in Sri Lanka, an Agriculture, Irrigation and Mahaweli Development Ministry spokesman told the Daily News yesterday.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa together with Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake will lay the foundation for this mega irrigation scheme at Moragahakanda, Elahara on January 25 at 10.00 a.m.

The commencement of this project is a fulfilment of another pledge given to the people in Mahinda Chintana. This will be the final reservoir project to be constructed under the Mahaweli Development Programme (MDP).

All other irrigation projects implemented under the MDP have given priority to power generation. This project has given priority to ensure water requirement for agricultural purposes. This will be biggest ever agricultural development project to be established in Sri Lanka, he said.

This mega irrigation scheme will overcome the water shortage in Yala season for 87,439 hectares in Matale, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee districts.

The project will also increase the water supply in these four districts for domestic and industrial use. In addition, it will facilitate the cultivation of 1,500 hectares of new lands in the North Central Province.

Under this project, two major reservoirs will be constructed. The Moragahakanda reservoir will be constructed across Amban Ganga, two Km ahead of Elahera amuna. The Kaluganga reservoir will be constructed by damming Kaluganga which is a tributary of Amban Ganga in Laggala, Pallegama area, the spokesman said.

The entire capacity of Moragahakanda reservoir is 569.9 million cubic meters while the capacity of Kaluganga reservoir is 265.6 million cubic meters.

The Government has to resettle 1,999 families due to the construction of Moragahakanda reservoir. In addition, 458 families have to be resettled due to the construction of the Kaluganga reservoir.

The Government will implement the resettlement programme without causing any hardships to the villagers, he said.