Morahagakanda project to develop the East

by Anura Maitipe

Work on the Morahagakanda and Kalu Ganga multi purpose projects will commence at a cost of USD 385 mllion. The construction work of the largest and the final phase of the Mahaweli Scheme, which will be handled by local engineers, will irrigate the arid lands in North Central, North and the North- East provinces, Mahaweli and River Valley Development Minister Maithripala Sirisena told the 'Sunday Observer'.

Senanayake Samudraya in Iginiyagala and the Udawalawe Multi purpose projects were constructed by Sri Lankan engineers whereas the rest of the recently built irrigation and power projects were handled by foreign engineers. Morahagakanda will be the biggest project undertaken by Sri Lankan engineers, he said.

The government has allocated Rs. 50 million to commence this project and the two foreign funding agencies have agreed to provide financial assistance to proceed with this project, which is expected to be completed by year 2014, the Minister said.

A dam 463 meters in length and 8 meter in width will come up two meters away, upstream from the ancient Alahara anicut which cuts across two mountain ranges, by blocking the Amban Ganga.

Another dam will come up across the Kalu Ganga that originates from the knuckles Range in Matale District. A tunnel will be built with a hydro power plant. On its way to Moragahakanda reservoir, through this tunnel, it will generate 21.6 MW of electricity and this construction of the tunnel, will be handled by Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) and the Mahaweli Development Authority, he said.

The total capacity of Moragahakanda is 569.9 million cubic meters which will cover a land areas of 2950 hectares.The total capacity of Kalu Ganga reservoir is 265.6 million cubic meters in 840 hectares of land, he added.

Due to these two projects, over 2,160 displaced families will be shifted from their ancestral lands in the Matale District and provided with alternative irrigatable lands in Minneriya and Kawdulla, he said.

On completion of this project over 1000 hectares in the North Central province will be irrigated while providing facilities for 149,942 acres of land in North Central, North and North Eastern provinces.

Under this project provisions will also be made available for further extension of main canals towards Jaffna and the Vanni districts. It will also provide drinking water for people in Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee districts. With the completion of this project it will increase agricultural and dairy products of the country by an additional 17 percent, he pointed out.

Minister of Agriculture, Environment, Irrigation and Mahaweli Development, Maithripala Sirisena takes a close look at a map while in conversation with the officials of the Mahaweli Development Authority at the proposed Moragahakanda Kalu Ganga project sites. Director General Mahaweli Authority, Ivan de Silva and Executive Director, M. M. Gunetileke are also present.

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