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Boost for socio-economy in Uva:
Iran-funded Uma Oya project to irrigate 25,000 acres
By P. Krishnaswamy
The Uma Oya Multipurpose Project in the Uva tops the list of all mega
development projects launched by the UPFA Government for the accelerated
development of the province, where farmers constantly experienced water
scarcity for cultivation, while the below-poverty-line average remained
markedly higher compared to other provinces.
The Government has expressed confidence that this situation will
change when the project is commissioned during the latter part of 2016.
While contributing to food security in the country, this Rs. 76,316
million Iran-funded project will be a boost to the socio-economic
condition of the people of the province, Government sources said. This
is another unique achievement under the Government's many far-reaching
multipurpose development projects, the sources said.
It is projected that 25,000 acres of paddy lands in Uva Wellassa and
the Ruhuna will come under irrigation , both during the Yala and Maha
seasons on completion of project. Another 12,000 acres of arable paddy
lands that remain uncultivated due to want of irrigation facilities will
also be brought under cultivation, according to the project sources.
The project will provide water to the Hambantota Port, the Mahinda
Rajapaksa International Airport and the Hambantota Industrial zone. The
entire project aims at solving the drinking water problems in the Uva
province and the Ruhuna while feeding the Lunugamwehera Reservoir. The
120MW power to be generated under the project will be added to the
national grid with arrangements for providing the electricity
requirement of the province, the sources said.
Work on the project is progressing with more than 38 percent of the
physical work already completed and the hydro-power plant of the project
that will generate 120 MW power, as a by-product of this major project,
will be connected to the National Grid in 2016 to cushion the rising
power demand in the country, Project Director Dr.Eng.N.S.K.N.de Silva
told the Sunday Observer.
All civil works at Dyrabah and Puhulpola dam sites and other
locations including the tunnel, power house, pressure shaft, and surge
shaft have been started already, the Project Director said. The
installation of the manufacturing of the electro-mechanical equipment
and the hydro-mechanical equipment has also been started, he said. The
Puhulpola reservoir, one of the two main reservoirs built for
facilitating the diversion of the Uma Oya River, is being built near the
104 km post on Welimada-Badulla Road, downstream the town of Welimada.
The dam is 45m in height, 210m long and 6m wide. Storage capacity of the
reservoir is 18.5 hectares.
In diverting water to the reservoir a distance of 1.8 km of the
Welimada-Badulla road will be getting inundated and alternative
arrangements are being made to divert the vehicular traffic through some
other area, the Project Director said. The other main reservoir, the
Dayarabah reservoir, is at Atampitiya. The headrace tunnel is 15.65 km
long, the longest ever to be constructed under any major hydro power or
reservoirs projects in the country and its internal diameter is 4.5
metres, the Project Director said.
Chief Resident Engineer P.L.N. Puranegedera who is working on the
downstream development of the project told the Sunday Observer that he
is now focussing on development work in the downstream areas, basically
related to irrigation to the agricultural lands in those areas and water
will be drawn from the proposed power plant under the project.
Construction work on the 6.5 MCM capacity Alikota Ara, the new
reservoir will be completed after work on the tailrace tunnel is
completed, he said. The Alikota Ara reservoir, once completed, will feed
the Handapanagala tank. The extent of the tank will be increased to
15,000 acres from the present 5,000 acres, the Resident Engineer said.
Under the downstream area development, 1700 acres of paddy lands
already under cultivation and another 3500 acres of uncultivated paddy
lands will be brought under irrigation, he said.
While there will be work going on the left side of the downstream, on
the right side a 35 km main tunnel will be constructed leading to the 40
MCM capacity Kuda Oya tank in the Tanamalwila and Wellawaya areas, he
said. More than one hundred minor tanks will be fed enroute, he said.
Another 30 km tunnel will also be constructed connecting the tanks in
Sinhalayapura and Kahakurulanpellassa, he said.
The project will address the problem of drought experienced annually
by the farmers of Moneragala and parts of the Southern province while
providing clean drinking water, benefiting a large number of
agricultural and others families in the project areas. Development of
livestock and inland fisheries, increase in water spread area and
improvement in ground water table, employment opportunities to several
thousands of skilled and unskilled persons, and knowledge transfer of
modern technology are other benefits to the local communities under the
project, project sources said.
Of the total cost of Rs.76,316 million, the Export Development Bank
of Iran (EDBI) is providing Rs.51,175 Million, with a grace period of 5
years, repayment period of 10 years and interest at the rate of LIBOR +
0% which is the lowest interest rate ever in project funding, the
sources said. For the other costs, including Down Stream Development
Works in Kirindi Oya Basin , the government is providing Rs.15,474
million.
The Government is providing Rs.9091 million for down stream
development which includes the construction of new storage reservoirs at
Alikota Ara and Kuda Oya, for the augmentation of the Handapanagala
reservoir, network of main and distribution canals (77 km), improvement
of 14 minor tanks, development of new lands (4500 ha) and augmentation
of existing lands (1500 ha). This part of the work is being handled by
the engineers of the Irrigation Department, the sources said.
There other benefits include availability of electricity and water
for industrial activities in the province. Moneragala district will
derive maximum benefits, up to 85 percent, under the project while
Badulla and Hambantota districts will benefit to a level of five percent
and 10 percent respectively.
In Hambantota the significant aspect is that water will be provided
to the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, the Magampura Mahinda
Rajapaksa Port, the Oil Refinery and the industrial zones, the sources
said. The water basin of the Uma Oya claims an area of 720 km2
originating from Piduruthalagala. Storage capacity of the reservoir is
18.5 hectares, the sources said.
By 2020, the irrigation sector will become the key driving force in
agricultural development with the supply of water in adequate, equitable
and reliable quantities and in a sustainable, efficient and eco-friendly
manner. Throughout history water has played a key role in developing the
country and economic status of its people, and in shaping its culture
and the tradition.
For over 2500 years, the country's civilisation, which developed on
the basis of irrigation technology, inherited a legacy of unsurpassed
know-how in the technology of building tanks and irrigation canals,
sources said. |
