Over 10,000 families to benefit from Allai scheme

By Anura MAITIPE

The Allai rehabilitation scheme launched under the Re-awakening project with the World Bank financial assistance of Rs. 385 million to provide irrigation for over 7,000 hectares of fertile land in Verugal, Vakarai, Muttur, Seruvila and Eachalampattu is in progress.

There are two anicuts at Allai irrigation scheme, Mavil Aru and Varugal. The Mavil Aru anicuts provides irrigation to Seruvila and Eachalampattu while Verugal anicut provides water to Vakarai and Muttur.

The Allai irrigation scheme was badly affected due to the ethnic conflict. As a result over 10.000 families lost their livelihood. However, with the liberation of the Eastern province these families have returned and they need irrigation facilities to restart paddy cultivation.

Project Director, P.H. Sugathadasa said the rehabilitation work at the Allai project is in progress and the dredging of the Raja-ela drainage scheme has already been completed at a cost of Rs. 13 million.

Under this project 26.73 kilometres of main canals and 66 kilometres of distribution canals will be rehabilitated. The 3.3 kilometres long bund and 300 metre long spill causeway will be upgraded.

Apart from this over 30 kilometres of access road ways will also be reconstructed.

The reconstruction of Mavil Aru anicut and causeway are also in progress and it will be completed before the end of this year.

With the completion of this project farmers will be able to recover over 1,200 acres of neglected land.

With the completion of this project over 70,000 hectares of land will be irrigated throughout the year and over 10,000 re-settled families will benefit.