Alla-Kantalai scheme to be renovated

Lakshmi DE SILVA

The Alla-Kantalai irrigation scheme will be renovated after 50 years with an allocation of Rs 385 million under a special project Yali Pibidemu , its Project Director P.H. Sugathadasa told the Daily News yesterday.

The LTTE terrorists closed the Mavil Aru irrigation canal causing damage to the sluice gate and other places along the waterway.

Mavil Aru embankments and spillway has been repaired up to 1,000 feet under this project, he said.

More than 10,000 farmer families live along the banks of the Alla-Kantalai irrigation scheme will benefit from these repairs to the canal and 17,413 acres of paddy lands that were not used during the times of the terrorist war could also be brought under the plough, he said.

The Nation Building Ministry had already spent around Rs 76 million to build five bridges, two canals 7.5 kilometres and 16.5 kilometres long, and for renovations of the whole irrigation scheme, Nation Building Ministry Media Director Kapila Ariyawansa said.