Ministry speeds up tank repairs

Rasika Somarathna

The Economic Development Ministry will renovate 2,000 small and medium scale tanks in 16 districts. Around 464,000 families are expected to benefit. When completed the tanks would have the capability to provide water to over 380,000 acres for cultivation.

The project director SK Liyanage said that the Ministry would employ a web based system to monitor all project sites under the instructions of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

According to Liyanage, Minister Rajapaksa has laid emphasis on maintaining the highest quality standards when carrying out constructions. All project reports have to be certified by a Chartered Engineer and then further reviewed by an expert panel of engineers prior to commencing work, he added.

Rs 3950 million has already been allocated for the project. More funds are to be channelled in accordance with the needs.

The Ministry is also set to renovate small and medium scale tanks and small roads damaged due to recent floods. US $ 28 million has been allocated for this.

According to Liyanage the project would cover Northern and Eastern Provinces and Kandy, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Anuradhapura, Puttalam, Polonnaruwa, Ratnapura and Moneragala districts.

The project was launched on February 7 from Kivuleara tank, Moneragala. The project would be initiated in the Ampara district on February 26 by starting renovation work of the Hewanakandiya tank in the Padiyatalawa DS division. On February 27 it would be launched in the Batticaloa district followed by Anuradhapura on February 28th. The day after renovating tanks in the Puttalam district would begin followed by Trincomalee on March 04.

According to Liyanage, Provincial Councils, other local authorities as well as several Government departments are working hand in hand with the Ministry in implementing the project.