Survey to assess drought damage

Priyanka KURUGALA

A survey is being conducted to collect all accurate details about the present drought. These details will be revealed after August 25, Agrarian Services Commissioner General Sunil Weerasinghe said.

According to the Agrarian Commissioner General, around 100,000 acres of paddy land in the Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala Puttalam, Trincomalee Districts have been badly affected by the drought. Around 400,000 farming families have been affected due to the drought situation. Agrarian Services Department Commissioner General Sunil Weerasinghe said the Department is currently assessing the damage to the paddy lands in the districts.

"The worst problems concerning the conduct of the farmers who had cultivated their paddy fields against the advise of the farming associations, especially farmers in Mahaweli areas had cultivated many acres of lands against the orders of farmers associations," he said.

"At present, schedules are being prepared to provide compensation. Farmers need to be categorized for this purpose to be decided whether they are entitled to full compensations or half compensation," he said.