Deduruoya irrigation project launched

By Anura Maitipe

The largest irrigation project in the Wayamba Province "Deduruoya " at a cost of Rs. 1.3 billion was launched last week with the mediation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to settle grievances of affected families of this project in the area, A spokesmen for the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation told the Sunday Observer.

The project was launched in 1990. but did not get off the ground due to lack of funds.

The catchment area of this reservoir is 70 million cubic metres and it will consist of a hydro turbine with the generation capacity of 1.5 MW, he said.

The government has taken the initiatives to provide two acres land and compensation to the value of land acquired by the government, he said.

Over 635 houses will be shifted from this area and the families will be provided with compensation and alternative lands for cultivation, he said.

He said, farmers in Kurunegala and Puttalam districts have no permanent irrigation system and as a result they grow paddy only during one season.

The project will irrigate 8015 hectares of paddy land in Puttalam and Kurunegala districts. Farmers will be able to grow two crops per year and the acute drinking water problem in the districts will be solved, he said.