Rains not enough to fill A’pura tanks

Nimal Wijesinghe - Anuradhapura Additional District group correspondent

The rains experienced in Anuradhapura during last two days were not sufficient to increase the water levels in tanks even by a quarter inch, Anuradhapura Zonal Irrigation Director Lalith Alwis told the Daily News.

However, the Irrigation Department in a thrifty manner in association with the farmer organizations would continue to issue water from major tanks at its maximum possible level for cultivations, he said.

According to Alwis, if no substantial rain fall experienced in August, water restrictions for cultivations would have to be imposed.

In the meantime, the Water Supply and Drainage Board’s (NCP) Chief Water Supply Engineer H A Jayasiri said that the Thuruwila tank was receiving 1,800 acre feet of Mahaweli water through Kalawewa.