Project on Cash for Work basis launched:

Drought affected families to benefit

By Dhaneshi YATAWARA

The Ministry of Economic Development is co-ordinating a project on cash for work basis. It will be applied to the affected communities. The program will be monitored by a Presidential Task Force comprising Secretaries to the relevant Ministries. Under this project, members of affected families between 18 and 60 are to be engaged in the renovation work pertaining to minor irrigation systems, canals and rural access roads, for a period of 8 - 12 days per month, subject to a maximum payment of Rs.6,000 each, in their locality.

The North Central Province, although apparently flat, is in reality undulating, and the ancient tank builders took advantage of the nature of the terrain to make strings of tanks in the valleys called the small tank cascade system. Without the artificial storage of water, human existence in the North Central Province would have been impossible.

In the endeavour to assist drought-stricken farmers, the Cabinet approved a special project to dredge major irrigation reservoirs. According to the Cabinet decision at a cost of nearly Rs. 3.6 million, dredging of over 1,270 tanks will begin soon. The North Central Province (NCP) which has been badly affected will be provided with agricultural wells.

Agrarian Services Minister, S.M. Chandrasena recently said that approximately 5,000 agricultural wells will be built in the Anuradhapura district.

The Government's drought assistance program is expected to reach over 50,000 families that are affected by severe water shortages in the NCP. Drinking water facilities are to be provided to 52,430 families in 12 districts at a cost of Rs.30 million. Dredging and renovation of 4,000 selected agricultural wells will be undertaken at a cost of Rs. 40 million. The drought affected the farming community particularly that of the North Central Province where a major part of the country's farmer community lives. Though the drought affected agriculture, the authorities believe that with the support extended to affected communities the problem is well under control. Areas fed by the Mahaweli River in the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts are experiencing a severe drought.

According to officials of the Ministry of Agrarian Services tank renovations will be coordinated through Farmer Organisations in these areas. Departments of Irrigation and Agrarian Services and the Mahaweli Authority will jointly be involved in this project.

Sri Lanka being an agriculture-based country, particularly paddy cultivation irrigation has been practised from time immemorial. Irrigation has been the driving force to promote agriculture and cultivation. The ancient concept of a Sri Lankan village suitable for human habitation is formed by the presence of Wewa (tank), Dageba (Temple) and paddy fields.

The large irrigation systems built by our ancient kings made our people not to depend on external sources to feed the people.

There are hundreds of irrigation canals and tanks that have become silted and gone beyond use due to prolonged neglect and lack of action by the authorities in the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts.

There are about 136 minor tanks that need immediate repair. The Committee on Emergency Drought Relief appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to help farmer communities affected by the prevailing drought, is to revive the old and dilapidated irrigation systems, feeder canals and tanks in the drought-affected districts, apart from providing necessary compensation to farmers.

Effort will first focus on renovating least affected agro-wells and tanks. Steps will be taken to dredge these tanks with the support of the relevant District Secretariats and Pradeshiya Sabhas.

Rice fields in the Dry Zone receive an annual rainfall of less than 75 inches, most of which is brought about by short spells of heavy precipitation. Often this quantity represents only a fraction of the water requirement for a double-crop of rice and the rice fields are heavily dependent on supplementary irrigation from tanks and reservoirs. The intermediate zone and the Wet Zone however receive higher rainfall, which is fairly evenly distributed throughout the years. This condition permits the growth of rice in certain areas without supplementary irrigation. Nevertheless, there are many rice fields in the Wet Zone, which are irrigated from streams and channels flowing from adjoining residual lands.

According to media reports the water capacity of the Parakrama Samudra in Polonnaruwa has receded to 57,000 acre/foot and water level in Kala Wewa in Anuradhapura has receded below the sluice gates. The water levels of reservoirs under the Mahaweli Authority have reportedly gone down by 50 percent.