Malwathu Oya project to get off ground

Nimal WIJESINGHE- Anuradhapura Additional District group corr

The government will commence the proposed lower Malwathu Oya reservoir project close to Thantirimale at the Anuradhapura-Mannar district boundary soon.

Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva will visit Thantirimale for an inspection on May 13. The minister will meet the Thantirimale temple Nayaka Thera .

He will meet farmer organization representatives in the Mannar district at the Adampan Maha Vidyalaya and visit the Japan funded Akhatimuruppa rehabilitation tank.

Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Badiudeen, Irrigation Ministry Secretary Engineer Ivan de Silva, Mannar District Secretary Sarath Ravindra, Mannar Residential Irrigation Engineer SMA Nelugolla, District Irrigation Chief Engineer Palitha Wickramaratne will accompany the minister.

The proposed reservoir will be constructed based on the Malwathu Oya flowing via Anuradhapura and joining the sea at Silawathurai in the Mannar district. The dam of the reservoir would be 3 1/2 kilometres in length, Mannar Chief Irrigation Engineer Palitha Wickramatilake told the Daily News.

"The capacity of the reservoir will be 185,000 acre-feet. Around 7,000 hectares would get submerged for the tank.

The project will solve the Mannar district water problem. A hydro power station will be installed at the centre of the dam," Wickramatilake said.

He said the main tanks in Mannar, such as the Giant tank, Agathimuruppu tank and the Viyadikulam tank would get water throughout the year from the scheme.