Mauara reservoir brings prosperity to Ruhuna

Hambantota District’s largest irrigation scheme marks 9th anniversary:

Darman Wickremaratne

The heritage of Ruhuna includes its golden soil. But it has not been fertile due to the acute scarcity of water. It was to solve this problem that the foundation was laid for the Mauara reservoir at Meegahajandura in 1997. But it did not become just another foundation stone only.

In 2001 water from this newly completed reservoir was released for the benefit of the people of Giruwapattuwa. The construction of Mauara reservoir was a dream that came true. It was the fruition of one person’s untiring effort and determination. The man behind it was Aviation and Ports Minister Chamal Rajapaksa. In the early 1990s, a popular teacher Ari Weeraratne of Hambantota was requested to meet Chamal Rajapaksa.

The latter was with Irrigation Engineer Paranamana of Ambalantota, when Weeraratne arrived. Studying a one-inch map of the area all three of them focused their attention on Malalaara which was once a well-developed ancient settlement as revealed by archaeological excavations. During the Maha season this area overflows with water whereas during Yala the place becomes a sandy stretch. Engineer Paranamana recalled that in ancient times Magama was supplied with water by diverting a branch of the Walawe River at Rakwana.

Hambegamuwa tank

Minister Chamal Rajapaksa who went to see the Hambegamuwa tank along with Ari Weeraratne and Paranamana saw another tank which had been supplied with water by diverting the flow to Maurara. This tank was Galamuna. The three of them then visited the Galamuna travelling again from Meegahajanudra and saw the hills from which water flowed to Mauara.

Giruwapattuwa villagers are benefitted by Mauara reservoir

Climbing to the top of the hill they marked the location where the canal was to be built. The marking was done by hanging white flags on trees in the vicinity. Chamal Rajapaksa planned the Mauara reservoir in 1989 when he was an Opposition Parliamentarian. After a new government was formed in 1994 permission was granted for the construction of Mauara. Accordingly plans were drawn up and the reservoir was completed nine years ago.

Bumper harvest

On that day farmers of Hambantota District shed tears of joy after having suffered from an acute water scarcity for many decades. Mauara became a source of great relief for these farmers who used to watch Walawe River flowing into the sea with no use being made of all that water. It did not take long for them to reap a bumper harvest from the golden soil that came to life with waters supplied from Mauara built with indigenous engineering techniques.

All big and small tanks including Suriyawewa, Meegahajandura, Mahagalwewa, Mahaaluthgammara which had dried up until that time, began to receive water during both Yala and Maha seasons. It was with the completion of Mauara reservoir that Chamal Rajapaksa reached the zenith of his political career. He is a veteran politician who fits into several generations. The cultivations done with Mauara waters ended decades of hunger that thousands of people in the district suffered.

Reservoir projects

When we met Minister Chamal Rajapaksa at the Mauara reservoir last week he said that in developing Hambantota, the government was giving priority to irrigation. According to him more reservoir projects are being planned to bring relief to thousands of other farmer families who are suffering due to lack of water.

These projects are in addition to the Hambantota international harbour and the Mattala international airport. Chamal Rajapaksa’s ideas reflect his high knowledge and experience in agro-technology. Farmers and their families are his friends. We realised it when he met families who are benefiting from the Mauara, Veheragala and Kekiriobada reservoirs.

Ari Weeraratne who jointly with Chamal Rajapaksa gave the lead in building the Mauara irrigation system said that Mauara made a major contribution to the country’s agricultural progress based on the concept of relying on national resources to develop Sri Lanka. On the day water was first released to the Mauara reservoir Chamal Rajapaksa shed tears of joy, according to Weeraratne. It was the happiest moment in Rajapaksa’s political career that began in 1985.

Agricultural environment

Mauara provides water to a number of tanks including Pahalakumbuk Wewa, Weherapelessa Wewa, Meegasdura Wewa, Malasthawa Wewa, Mulpita Wewa, Mahaaluthgamara Wewa, Pallewatta Wewa, Bogahaidi Wewa, Kalawelituraara Wewa, Mahaidi Wewa, Hodi Peralunu Wewa, Kudaidi Wewa, Ranmudu Wewa, Bandagiriya Wewa and Mihindu Wewa.

We entered the Mauara reservoir area via Udamawiaragama. Captain Prasad who was in charge of security there directed us to Forest Ranger Gunwardena. We were warmly welcomed by Pradeep and other military personnel providing to security from Mailagahayata to the Mauara sluice.

Today water from Mauara irrigates 3,000 acres of paddy land. The water is distributed through 15 main tanks and over 50 smaller tanks. On both sides of the reservoir we saw an agricultural environment. Among the trees that grew there were Palu, Weera, Ranawara and Nilaweriya.

Mauara reservoir - a source of great relief for these farmers

And species of fresh water fish like Wewkorali were swimming in the reservoir. Although about 50 wild elephants could be spotted in an ordinary day at the time we visited there we could see only about 13 of them. The watcher of the reservoir Jagath Susantha of Ibbanara told us stories about the elephants.

Out of 35,000 acre-feet of water only 15,000 are released for cultivation. Around 700 acres of unauthorised cultivations are found in the area.

Paddy lands

The time has come to change the story of the Hambantota. There is now moisture in the soil. This is unbelievable when we recall the experiences of people like R L Brohier and Leonard Woolf. What the European rulers identified as a dry zone is today becoming a wet zone. Shrub jungles with thorny plants are not seen today.

No wastelands are visible. Instead we see fertile paddy lands, highly populated areas and bazaars where agricultural products are available in plenty. All these are the results of reservoirs like Mauara and the initiative taken by courageous leaders like Chamal Rajapaksa.

A new day dawned and the sun’s rays spread in all directions. Farmers were heading towards their lands irrigated with water from Mauara. Children were going to school. Today Giruwapattuwa looks much brighter than it was yesterday. In the background of this prosperity is the Mauara reservoir.

The writer is an environmental Journalist who can be reached at [email protected]