French Govt., Water Board to improve A'pura water project

Nimal Wijesinghe, Anuradhapura Additional District group corr.

The French Government with the Water Supply and Drainage Board will engage in a joint venture for the implementation of group town water supply project in the northern zone of Anuradhapura city.

The French government will offer euros 44 million while the ADB will grant Rs. 22 million and the Board will invest Rs. 1,200 million for the completion of the project, Project Director H. A. Jayasiri said.

Under the project the existing water treatment plants such as Nuwarawewa, Tissawewa and Mihintale will be augmented.

Arrangements are also being made to purify and dump 36,000 cubic meters of water from Thuruwia a new water treatment plants about eight miles from Anuradhapura town. Only 18,000 cubic meters of water are seasoned for distribution.

Jayasiri said villagers in Pandulagama, Katukeliyawa, Lolugaswewa, Kaletthewa, Kannattiya, Matale junction, Rambawewa, Nelubewa, Saliyapura, Mihintale, Nachcaduwa, Talawa and Srawasthipura are direct beneficiaries of the project. They have been suffering for decades due to the scarcity of pure drinking water.

In addition to the supply of water the villagers are being encouraged for self-employment schemes such as animal husbandry, paultry farming, mushroom cultivation and home gardening.