Mahaweli Ministry mulls ecotourism

by Shirajiv SIRIMANE

The Ministry of Mahaweli Development is promoting ecotourism in a big way and is also looking at promoting boat services in a more aggressive manner.

Director General of Mahaweli Authority, D. M. C. Dissanayake said that they have decided to lease out land near reservoirs to both local and foreign investors for tourism purposes.

He said that under the guidance of Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva they have already granted permission to the private sector to launch boat services and two licences have already been issued. "We have over 10 more applications to process," he said.

He said that due to security concerns earlier they could not offer this service but today they are not only offering the reservoirs for boats but for sea planes as well. "The response is overwhelming," he said.

He said that next they would open out Kandalama, Udawalawa Kalawewa, Dambulu Oya and Victoria for the private sector for both boats and sea planes.

Mahaweli as a whole is South Asia's biggest development project and over the 25 years since its creation Rs. 98 billion has been invested with both local and foreign funds.

He said that they are also planning to provide 25-acre blocks of land to graduates on a long-term lease for agriculture purposes. "Agriculture carried out under new techniques and using hybrid varieties can yield high income and our concept of forming mini companies can be applied here as well," Dissanayake said.

Dissanayake said dairy farming is the second self-employment project they would be offering the graduates.

"Here too, the Authority would provide them with land as well as cattle imported from overseas," he said. These initiatives would also be beneficial for ecotourism projects that would come up in the next two to three years. The Authority is also marketing their holiday bungalows to the public.

He said that Victoria dam is one of the most viewed sites and it is drawing both local and foreign tourists. "We provide them free guide services and the viewing deck has been refurbished with better facilities," he said.