Moragahakande to benefit Eastern Province farmers

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe in Moragahakande

Moragahakande-Kaluganga reservoir project is the mega irrigation scheme implemented by the Sri Lanka Government to provide water to farmers in the Eastern province during the Yala season once completed.

It is one of the largest reservoir projects incorporated in phase 2 of the Mahaveli scheme master plan. After several delays over the years the project was finally commissioned on January 25, 2005.

Having spent the night over at Dambulla we arrived at Moragahakande on the following morning travelling through Bakamuna. It was a six hour journey from Colombo. The Moragahakande reservoirs consist of a major dam a Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) dam, and two other saddle dams. The saddle dams will be built to collect the spill over water from the major dam.

However foreign expertise and assistance will be needed to design the major dam and the second saddle dam due to their largeness. When we arrived at the construction site there were several caterpillar and backhoe machines at work. Clouds of dust rose as we travelled on the newly constructed road in close shuttered vehicles.

“We have decided to go ahead with the construction of the second saddle dam, (an earth dam) with the expertise from the Irrigation Department to save foreign exchange. I believe we can save around Rs 500-600 million rupees by using local expertise and local machinery.” said Secretary to the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services, Ivan de Silva who spoke to the `Sunday Observer.’

“Construction of the second saddle dam begun seven months ago. We do not want to expedite its work as the cost will be much higher. But when we complete the major two dams, the work on the second saddle with a height of 20 meters will be ready. The entire project will take six years to complete” he said.

Secretary Silva said that they will develop 2000 hectares at Kaudulla in the Medirigiriya area for the benefit of 2000 families. In the meantime we visited the Moragahakande nursery where we witnessed about 100,000 saplings which will be planted in the cleared areas. “We hope to plant around one million tress in Moragahakande and the Kalu Ganga project. Last year we planted around 500,000 Jack tress, he said.

Bridge being constructed to link Kubiangahawela and Moragahakande.

Minister Maitripala Sirisena inspecting the construction work at Moragahakande Dam.

Meanwhile a Japanese team is expected to visit Moragahakande project shortly to access the work of the main dam and saddle dam No 1. The Government is already working with the Japanese government to negotiate funds for the main dam and the first saddle dam.

The Government will also negotiate with Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for funding for the project. The total cost of the Moragahakande project and the Kalu Ganga project has been estimated at US Dollars 618 million.

The Moragahakande and the Kalu Ganga downstream project is to commence simultaneously. Another aspect of the Moragahatenna - Kalu Ganga project is the 13.5 kilometre road built to link the Kubiyangahawela and Moragahatenne at a cost of Rs 900 million.

When the road is constructed people will be able to travel to Kalu Ganga from Moragahatenne in 15 to 20 minutes. The Minister of Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services Maithripala Sirisena, said at a Media briefing last Sunday at Moragahakande that displaced families will be settled on the left and right banks of the Kalu Ganga i.e. Laggala Pallegama areas. They will be allocated with one and a half acre of paddy land and half an acre of homestead land.

He said the Moragahakande project will provide water to farmers in the Eastern province and Padaviya for paddy cultivation purposes during the Yala season. People living in Matale and in Trincomalee areas will also be provided with drinking water to overcome the acute shortage of drinking water in those areas.

The minister said those who want to remain in the Matale district will be provided land. But others who do not wish to remain at Matale will be provided with land at Polonnaruwa. He regretted that some persons with political agendas had painted a bad picture to mislead farmers to achieve their own objectives.

Pic By Vipula Amarasinghe