Chinese contractors entrusted with the construction of Yan Oya reservoir left bank main canal way had closed the construction site until further notice.
The cause for the closure is the conduct of farmers whose lands were acquired to accommodate the canal way.
The farmers state that no compensation was paid for their lands including paddy lands and it had dragged them onto the road without any livelihood support.
A spokesman of China’s CAMSE Engineering Company said they were to complete construction work before the end of this year so that irrigation water could be provided to the Padaviya scheme farmers.
“However, 60 percent of the 'Ela' construction had to be terminated.
“The reason is the growing agitation and the opposition of farmers due to the lack of an acceptable solution with regard to the payment of compensation,” he said.
Farmer organisations said it was the responsibility of irrigation authorities and the Yan Oya reservoir project management to launch an efficient administrative mechanism to solve public grievances when such a project of national importance worth Rs. 13,000 million is in progress.
The Chinese contractors earlier completed the reservoir head work, including the main dam successfully, one year in advance of the agreed date.
The left bank canal is the most important component of the reservoir since it carries water up to Padaviya passing 18.9 kilometers, ending at Jayanthiwewa.
This would end the acute scarcity of irrigational and drinking water in Padaviya.
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