River banks preservation a success

Nimal Wijesinghe Anuradhapura additional district group correspondent

Large scale careless and reckless sand mining from rivers and other water sources have caused serious environmental problems such as erosion of river banks, devastation of floras etc.

The Geological Surveys and Mines Bureau which runs a sand mining project at Mahaweli river at Manampitiya in Polonnaruwa district has implemented a river banks preservation program exemplary to the other sand miners. The eroded river banks are filled with soil and metal using supportive wooden props, and coir nets are blanketed on the banks to resist erosion.

Trees such as Kumbuk etc are planted on the rehabilitated banks.

The sand mining project has been in operation since April 2008, on a Supreme Court directive as a remedial measure to control the intermittent flooding in Manampitiya and Somawathi areas.