Tank renovation project in NCP:

Over 500 abandoned tanks to be revived

Nimal Wijesinghe Anuradhapura additional district group correspondent

The Economic Development Ministry in coordination with the North Central Provincial Council will embark on a development project to renovate 500 abandoned small scale rural tanks with irrigation canal systems.

Economic Development Deputy Minister S M Chandrasena said so addressing the media at his Anuradhapura office recently.

“It is the government’s vision to revive the tank culture which existed in the past that brought forth prosperity,” he said.

A distilling project covering 500 medium and large scale tanks to expand water capacity will also be launched parallel to the tank renovation project.

About 1,000 small scale tanks have been abandoned due to 30 years of terrorism, according to surveys conducted by the Agrarian Services authorities, Deputy Minister Chandrasena said. He said Rs 500 million will be spent for the renovation project with financial assistance from the Economic Development Ministry. The tanks to be renovated are being selected at district level, he said.

He said about 5,000 acres of abandoned paddy fields can be cultivated after tanks are renovated. The lands had been abandoned due to 30 years of terrorism.

Referring to the sedimentation removal programme, the deputy minister said the programme started during last year’s drought season on the instructions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The programme distilled about 500 major tanks including Kalawewa. The programme was so successful that the water capacity rose by 2,500 acre feet.

The deputy minister said the government spends about Rs 500,000 to remove sediments of one acre.