Farmers facing aftermath of drought

Sigiriya group correspondent

Farmers of the Matale district have to suffer the consequences of the severe drought that prevailed for the last two months.

About 5,000 acres of paddy lands got destroyed resulting in 10,000 families facing a pathetic situation.

Farmers complain that the water levels in the tanks have fallen and natural water cascading from hilly areas too to have dried up.

Tanks are filled up with sediments as clearings made the ground floor bare.

These are man made problems for which everyone has to suffer Naula said.

More than 70 percent of cultivations in Yatawatta, Walawela, Galewela, Sigiriya, Dambulla and Rattota are worst affected.

When this situation was brought to the notice of District Secretary Gamini Seneviratne, he said that he was quite aware of the plight of the farmers and steps have been taken through the Disaster Management Ministry to implement necessary relief measures.