Improved water supply and sanitation in North:

Kilinochchi-Jaffna project to be launched soon

By Mohammed Naalir

The Iranamadu reservoir

Minister Gunawardena and the Deputy Minister at the Iranamadu reservoir

The Minister and Deputy Minister at the discussion

A meeting was held at the Kilinochchi District Secretariat with the participation of Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Deputy Minister Nirupama Rajapaksa, Prasdeshiya Sabha members and parliamentarians under the patronage of the Kilinochchi Government Agent Rupawathi Kethiswaran.

Politicians, Divisional Secretaries and the public were present. The special meeting was organised to implement drinking water supply and sanitation projects in the Kilinochchi district.

"Priority was given to sanitation facilities along with the drinking water supply project. The ground water is polluted in certain areas where the drinking water supply projects are to be implemented. When new water supply projects are implemented sanitation projects will also be implemented, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said.

The Minister said the Northern Province is endowed with many natural resources. Before the emergence of terrorism in the region the people had achieved self-sufficiency in all sectors including agriculture.

Drinking water supply and sanitation facilities related issues were discussed during the meeting. Minister Gunawardane addressing the discussion said the Kilinochchi-Jaffna water supply project will benefit farmers and the entire community.

The Minister appreciated the Kilinochchi District Secretary for organising the meeting in a fruitful manner.

The Water Supply and Drainage Board has conducted studies to launch a number of water supply projects in the Kilinochchi district. We are in the process of starting the Kilinochchi water supply and rehabilitation and the Kilinochchi-Jaffna water supply project.

"We held discussions with the Northern Province Irrigation Director and other directors in the Department on the implementation of the Kilinochchi water supply project", the minister said.

He assured that the farmers will be considered when the project is implemented, and the water level of the Iranamadu tank will be monitored continuously.

The Minister said, implementing community based water supply projects is important.

"We will not ignore the proposals but consider them and try to solve the issues. We will take necessary steps to supply drinking water to the North. After the restoration of peace in the North the Government has been assigned the duty of bringing prosperity to the North. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is keen to implement the Kilinochchi-Jaffna water supply project to quench the thirst of the North."

The Minister sought the participation of the public and the authorities in the development of the North. A sanitation project will also be implemented along with the community based water supply project, he said.

He said, "Our delegation will return in a couple of months to inspect the progress of the projects. Water is important to all human beings. Water is important for agriculture, irrigation and the generation of hydro power. All these issues have to be considered".

This was the first meeting held with the participation of all the high ranking officials to discuss the drinking water supply problems in the district and take action to solve it, the Kilinochchi Government Agent Rupawathi Kethiswaran said.

She said some water supply programs have already been started in the province. The Jaffna-Kilinochchi water supply project will be implemented soon.

Representatives of the public who attended the meeting

Minister Dinesh Gunawardena,Deputy Minister Nirupama Rajapaksa and invitees being welcomed

"The Kilinochchi Urban Water Supply Project is to be implemented soon the Kilinochchi G.A. said. "We have problems in some areas. We have to provide drinking water uninterruptedly. Some areas have already been identified. We have taken steps to implement the projects. The Iyakkachchi water supply scheme was opened last Friday" the GA said.

She said "the Wattakachchi Community Based Water Supply Project will also be started soon. There is a need for a pure drinking water supply project in Kallaru. I request the Minister and Deputy Minister to implement a drinking water supply project for Kallaru".

"The Kilinochchi district faces immense drinking water problems. Certain areas in the district still depend on rain water. Two major projects are to be implemented in the Kilinochchi, district. All preliminary arrangements have been finalised to implement these projects, EPDP Parliamentarian Murugasu Chandrakumar said.

"The water supply project close to the Kilinochchi town was already functioning. It is now being renovated and expanded. The second is the Iranamadu water supply project, which will provide water to the Kilinochchi and the Jaffna districts. The preliminary work in relation to the project has been completed", Chandrakumar said.

"The farmers in the Kilinochchi district will be considered in the implementation process of the Kilinochchi-Jaffna project.

Already community based water supply projects have been implemented in the district in three places, Akkarayankulam, Wattakachchi and Iyakkachchi areas" the MP said.

"The Iyakkachchi project has already been commissioned and the Wattakachchi project is nearing completion. Preliminary work on the Akkarayankulam project has begun. I have informed the Minister about areas which experience severe shortage of pure drinking water. I have asked the Minister to implement six or seven community based drinking water supply projects in the district, such as Jayapuram in Poonarin Divisional Secretariat Division, Wannerikkulam in Karachchi Divisional Secretariat Division, Periya Paranthan, Dharmapuran East and West. If the Dharmapuram East and West are absorbed to the Iranamadu project, implementing community based water supply project would not be necessary",he said.

"Selvanagar and Kallaru Divisions should also be given drinking water. The areas close to the Kilinochchi town should be absorbed into the Kilinochchi town water supply project, Chandrakumar said.

Minister Gunawardana also opened the Regional Headquarters of the Water Supply and Drainage Board in Vavuniya last week. This is an Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded project.

The building was constructed at a cost of Rs. 68 million, an officer attached to Vavuniya Regional Headquarters said.

He said "Rs. 3,600 million has been allocated to Vavuniya and Rs. 2,400 million to the Mannar district for the water supply and sanitation projects. The water supply to the Vavuniya, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Jaffna districts will be monitored from this office. The construction work of the building was completed within one and half years".

The Kilinochchi-Jaffna water supply project is expected to improve health and human development in urban and Predeshiya Saba areas of the Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts. The project will help rehabilitate, reconstruct, and develop areas affected by the war on terrorism.

The outcomes of the project are, improved water supply and sanitation, infrastructure for residents and the resettled, improved protection and management of Jaffna peninsula's water resources.

The water supply project will cover 300,000 beneficiaries and the Sewerage Reticulation System including the treatment plant and effluent disposal reuse system will cover the most densely populated areas of the Jaffna Municipality area and the University, benefiting 80,000 people. If the effluent disposal reuse system is not feasible, sea outfall will have to be considered for implementation.

The community based rural water supply and sanitation project in Jaffna and Kilinochchi will reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in postconflict rural communities through improved water supply and sanitation (WSS) services.

The beneficiaries of the Jaffna-Killinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project includes 300,000 beneficiaries for water supply, 80,000 beneficiaries for sanitation and 55,000 beneficiaries for irrigation.