Tank beds encroached on

by M. Maharuf, Kurunegala South Gr. Cor.

The large scale encroachment of tank beds for various purposes such as cultivation, sand mining and brick manufacture poses a serious threat to the future existence of a number of ancient tanks located in the Kurunegala district. The majority of small and medium tanks in Kurunegala district, face destruction due to the large scale erosion of tank beds as the forest cover ahead of the tank beds are being taken by encroachers.

Some of the tanks facing this threat are the Kimbulwana oya – Ibbagamuwa, Siyambalangamuwa wewa – Yapahuwa, Udagankanda and Humbuluwa Tanks – Dambadeniya. The technical officers of the irrigation department said that all tanks in the catchment area have been encroached and used for cultivation and there should be a consolidated approach to curb this menace.

Farmer organizations and several representatives of farmer societies have on several occasions appraised North Western Provincial Council, NWP agriculture and Irrigation Ministry and the District Secretariat Kurunegala in this regard. But no action has been taken to date.