Welioya Diversion Project to benefit 7,000 families

by Anura Maitipe

The Welioya Diversion Project has been completed at a cost of Rs. 1.2 billion with financial assistance of the Japanese government and the consolidated fund, the Resident Engineer Welioya Diversion Project, S. M. A Nelugoole told the Sunday Observer.

The consolidated fund has allocated Rs 800 million and the Japanese Government has provided Rs. 500 million for the project to provide irrigation facilities to 7,000 families living in arid lands in the Moneragala and Ratnapura districts.

A water reservoir was built by tapping the Kalkanoya and Welioya at the downstream of the "Bambarakanda" Ella which begins from the upper hills of the Nuwara Eliya district. The height of the dam is eight metres and the length is 90 metres. The water flows through a tunnel at 1.6 kilometres long before it reaches the Moneragala district.

Over 28 water tanks including two main tanks will be filled with the water of the Welioya project. It will irrigate another 3,700 acres of arid land in the Ratnapura and Moneragala districts, he said. Over 7,000 families will benefit and drinking water to the residents at Kotawehera, Mankada, Kandiya, Pitawewa, Aluthwewa and Hambegamuwa will be provided under this project.

The agricultural produce and fish production in the Ratnapura and Moneragala districts will be increased by 60 percent within the next two years, he said.