The Government has launched a Rs. 1 billion irrigation restoration programme to rehabilitate ageing canals and tanks and strengthen water retention capacity ahead of the seasonal rains expected in late September or October.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation Aravinda Senarath said the initiative formed part of a comprehensive three-year programme, with a total allocation of Rs. 3 billion aimed at strengthening the country’s water management infrastructure.
The initiative comes amid severe hardship faced by farmers, particularly paddy cultivators, in the Northern, North Central, Eastern, and Uva Provinces due to the prevailing dry weather.
“We have planned to complete work at 100 locations – 10 projects in each selected district – within this year,” Senarath said.
The initial phase commenced in Mullaitivu on 1 July. Work is currently underway in several districts, including Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Hambantota, and Puttalam, while operations in the Monaragala District are expected to begin shortly.
The programme focuses on infrastructure coming under the Department of Agrarian Development. “We are focusing on restoring small tanks, canals, and anicuts,” Senarath said.
Addressing concerns over the prevailing El Niño conditions, the Deputy Minister said that although several areas were experiencing dry weather, the situation remained under control.
“We have identified that small tanks in almost all districts have dried up, while some reservoirs still retain a certain amount of water. However, the information currently available to us indicates that El Niño will not have a significant impact during the remainder of this year,” he said.
Senarath said drinking water supplies linked to the Mahaweli system and water required for cultivation were being managed without major difficulties.
With meteorological forecasts indicating that rainfall may begin in late September or October, the ministry is seeking to complete the restoration of small tanks before the rains to maximise water retention.
He added that water stored in selected reservoirs would be used sparingly over the next two months to maintain an uninterrupted drinking water supply until the rainy season. Management plans covering both the Mahaweli and general irrigation systems remain in place to mitigate possible shortages.
Meanwhile, Department of Meteorology Forecasting Division Director Meril Mendis told the media that sufficient rainfall to ease the prevailing dry conditions was expected only around October.