Japan funds drinking water, environmental projects

The Government of Japan provided nearly Rs. 13.1 million to rehabilitate and construct hand pump tube wells in drought affected areas and mangrove conservation and sustainable livelihoood development project.

These projects will be implemented by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board and People to People volunteer organisation in Gintota, and will enable the drought affected population to access to drinking water in selected locations in the North Central, North Western, Central provinces and improve the environment and livelihoods in selected areas in the Southern province.

The funds released to the National Water Supply and Drainage Board will be used to rehabilitate 40 hand pump tube wells and construct 20 new hand pump tube wells in Anuradhapura, Kurunegala and Matale to benefit 1,350 families directly.

The funds released to the People to People Volunteers organisation will be utilised to facilitate the planting of 100,000 mangroves along the lower Ginganga and seaside, to create environmental awareness among schoolchildren and community leaders.

It will also create self-employment programs, combining the use of natural resources and conservation of environment in Gintota, Galle, which will beneift 450 families directly and more than 5,000 families indirectly.

The Japanese Government through its grant assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GSP) annually funds several Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Semi Government Authorities to fulfil development needs at grass root level of all communities in Sri Lanka.

This scheme has been in operation in Sri Lanka since 1989, and has so far provided vast support towards a multitude of development and humanitarian activities mainly at village, district, provincial and also at national level.

The signing of this grant contracts took place at the Embassy of Japan on wednesday.

Kiyoshi Araki, Ambassador of Japan in Colombo with K.L.L. Premanath, General Manager of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board and with K.A. Anuradha Prabath Kumara, President of the People to People Volunteers, signed the grant contracts.