The government has taken measures to provide water for 80,000 acres of agro lands via the Moragahakanda Reservoir Project in this Yala season. In addition, drinking water will be provided via Moragahakanda under a special programme to the people in the North Central Province, Wayamba region and Eastern Province. The construction works on these projects are now fast carried out to meet the government’s goals on time.
From time to time, the Moragahakanda Project, the largest reservoir of the Mahaweli River Project, has been criticized in many aspects. But at present, farmers have been provided with a lasting solution for their grave water issue through the Moragahakanda Project.
The farmers in the areas have been undergoing numerous difficulties and setbacks with the drought that was prevalent in the area for many years. Reportedly, several farmers committed suicide since they could not repay their loans taken from state and private banks as well as from money lenders in the areas.
Still the drought prevails in many regions even though some areas have received considerable rainfalls. Therefore, the Moragahakanda Project has commenced releasing water for cultivation. Water will be provided for cultivations through Parakrama Samudraya, Minneriya, Giritale, Kaudulla, and Kantalle for the Yala season thereby reaching set goals of the government for the agro industry. This is happening for the first time in the history of the country’s farming industry.
The Dry Zone receives adequate water for cultivation in the Maha season during October, November and December. The areas under the Moragahakanda Project called Dumbara valley receives enough water during the Maha season. However, about 800 m of water flows to the sea unused but not before massive floods inundate the Polonnaruwa and Somawathie areas wreaking havoc in the livelihoods of farmers and their families.
With the completion of the Moragahakanda Reservoir Project, rainwater that the Dumbara Valley receives is preserved and released for cultivation in the Yala season. Throughout the history, the Somawathie area has been flooding causing heavy damages for cultivations and day-to-day lives of the regional farmers. Hereafter, floods would not threaten the area since the new project has provided a lasting solution for the issue.
About 80,000 acres of agro lands that receive limited water for cultivation during the Yala season now will get adequate agro water from the project.
The Moragahakanda Project will be able to supply water under four water schemes and they are the Abanganga Water Project, Upper Elahera Canal Project, Wayamba Canal Project and Kaluganga Lower Area Project. Of them, the Abanganga Water Project was already completed and water is being provided for agro lands through the project successfully. Accordingly, water was already released for 16,500 acres of agro lands in the Elahera area via the Abanganga Project.
The Upper Elahera Water Project, Wayamba Canal Water Project and the Kaluganga Lower Region Water Project are now nearing completion and once they were completed, 600,000 people of 150,000 families will receive the maximum harvest of their cultivation.
The Parakrama Samudraya has contained 116,000 feet of water at present and the Giritale tank has contained 10,000 acre feet of water while the Minneriya tanks has contained 74,500 acre feet of water nearing the verge of spillover. The Moragahakanda Project is expected to produce 25 MW of electricity. Of four power generators of the project, three already add electricity to the National Grid.
The Moragahankanda Reservoir Project and its related water schemes have already ended the water scarcity of the Dry Zone to some extent. Once all these projects were complete, they will provide a lasting solution for the issue. Once a farmers’ dream, the Moragahakanda Project, they have realized now. Before long, they will reap its full benefits.
AshWaru Colombo
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