A'pura water reserves to feed Trinco tanks

Nimal Wijesinghe Anuradhapura Additional District Group Correspondent

Action has already been taken to renovate and rehabilitate the water storage facilities network in Anuradhapura district to meet the need to increase the paddy harvest in the region.

Anuradhapura District Secretary H M K Herath said that once the project is complete it can provide water to tanks in Trincomalee district as well.

"At a recently held discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, it was agreed to release Rs 20 million for the purpose of renovation and maintenance of the storage complexes in Anuradhapura district.

The President instructed to give priority to streamline the stores complexes situated close to the railroads, since the Government intends to transport paddy by train up to Veyangoda in the near future," Herath told the Daily News.

The District Secretary said that a survey was conducted to get information about the rice mills and stores complexes which have stopped operation or affected by terrorist activities in the past. Such locations would be put back into operation.

"In Anuradhapura district in the present Maha season nearing 120,000 acres are under paddy cultivation, in addition to growing maize on 100,000 acres. As paddy yields gets a higher marketing price, the paddy cultivation is unprecedented in Anuradhapura district.

The stores complexes that belong to the Paddy Marketing Board, but are used for other purposes will be taken over.

Already action has been taken to improve the condition of storage facilities in Wijithapura, Olukaranda, Medawachchiya, Negama and Anuradhapura located close to the railroad," Herath said.