Rambukan Oya, a reality after 1,600 years

By Shirajiv SIRIMANE in Ampara

The sluice gates under way

Anicut under construction

Parakrama Samudraya is the biggest irrigation project in Sri Lanka which was built combining five larger tanks over 1,600 years ago by King Parakramabahu the Great. The tank covers an area of more than 15 sq. km. The dam is almost 14 km long and 12m high.

The ancient kings also attempted to build the Rambukan Oya irrigation project in the Ampara area also during the same era.

History states that King Saddatissa got his set of engineers to draw up a plan for Rambukan Oya and even stones which were to be used in canals were made.

One could still see these ancient carved stones lying close to Rambukan Oya. However the King failed to get this project moving due to various reasons and it was abandoned.

Since then this project was cold shouldered for over one and a half centuries and during the past 15 years Rambukan Oya was once again in the limelight as it one of the most viable irrigation projects for the region.

It is an insult to the Eastern Province farmers that as much as three foundation stones were laid to construct this project during the last 20 years.

Many Ministers and Engineers drew up plan after plan to re-construct this project but they were just confined to Colombo much to the disappointment of the Eastern province residents.

Project launched

The fourth Foundation stone was laid by the then Minister of Irrigation Chamal Rajapaksa and this time around the project got off the ground and is to be completed next year.

Rambukan Oya would be the biggest irrigation project for the Eastern province created after the ancient era. It is expected to cost Rs. 2.5 billion rupees and one of the unique features of this project is that it would also supply drinking water to over 2,500 families in the area who now treck miles carrying utensils to bring water.

The Chief Residential Engineer of the project, A. L. Jauffer said that today almost 50 percent of the project has been completed with the dam scheduled to be completed in June. Over 38 percent of financing for the project too has been completed. The project would be funded by the government.

The engineers did not have much planning to do as most of it was done over 1,600 years ago and only the final touches had to be done to meet the present day demands.

The top of the Dam

The attempt made 1,600 years ago by King Saddhatissa

A. L. Jauffer at the site

The dam will be over one kilometer long and would be built to sustain 130 square kilometers of water. It would be 25 meters tall and would have three sluice gates including a separate gate for the supply of drinking water.

Direct labour

Unlike in other development projects the government has decided to use direct labour for the project minimising the cost by over 40 percent.

"We will be paying labour from our coffers and government machinery would be used for construction not only saving money but also ensuring high quality from start to the finish," he said.

The land area to be covered by the Rambukan Oya project consists of families living under with basic standards and they were victims of the 30 year old war. Several villages in the area were directly subjected to LTTE brutality with some villages being massacred by the ruthless organisation.

In addition the villages too were subjected to the human-elephant conflict and many have fled the area.

The other villages depended on chena cultivation and one may be surprised to not that their basic earning was around Rs. 2,000 per month which was just enough to keep the homefires burning. Schooling was a super luxury for children as the parents were keen to get their children involved in cultivation.

"As we have decided to construct this project using direct labour we have been successful in providing over 2.500 employment opportunities for the people in the area and their take home pay is more than Rs. 17,000," he said.

Family members of some of the Veddha families are also working in the construction work.

This has definitely helped to increase the buying power of the people and one could see several new shops being opened.

Unique features

One of the unique features of this project is that it is being 100 percent planned and executed by local engineers and staff.

Another salient feature of Rambukan Oya is that they are using gravity instead of motors to take the water to farmers as well as for drinking purposes once again minimising cost to a greater extent.

From the dam a 6.7 kilometer anicut is being constructed to feed the water to six other small reservoirs which are being built. These six mini reservoirs would provide water to irrigate over 12,000 acres.

In addition a 12 kilometer underground canal carrying drinking water would be constructed and is diverted through gravity to a new reservoir named the Nilabe plant. From this point pipeborne water would be distributed. Rs. 260 million has been allocated for this plant and 50 percent of the construction has been completed and it would be ready by next July.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa also visited the area recently and held a progress meeting and instructed the officials to expedite the construction work on the Rambukan-Oya Reservoir.

Resettle families

Due to the LTTE conflict over 3,000 families have left the area and were living in makeshift shelters. "One of the priorities would be to resettle these families in their own premises," he said.

Unlike in the past they would have more facilities for cultivation with the opening of the Rambukan Oya.

The farmers were used to cultivate traditional crops and the Irrigation department is taking steps to introduce new genetically modified plants so that they could get high yields," he said.

In addition workshops and seminars would be conducted so that farmers would have access to new technology including drip irrigation which in turn would increase their productivity and returns.

"As schooling is still a luxury for children we would be building new schools and upgrading the present mini schools to a high standard," he said.

The mini dispensaries which are in operation would be elevated to mini hospitals and we will work with the Ministry of Health for this purpose. With the help of National Water Supply and Drainage Board pipes would be laid to provide drinking water.

The road network had been a grey area and under the supervision of Director of Irrigation Dr. Mrs. G. G. Godaliyadda a new 20 kilometer road is being built. "This will help the villages to move to the main towns in the area with the operation of motor vehicles in the area as the old roads were only foot paths," he said.

The government has allocated Rs. 500 million for this community development in the area and with the completion of the Rambukan Oya residents can now think of a better life and a brighter future for their children.