Steps have been taken by the Agrarian Services Department to renovate the Meewalapathaha tank in the Galewela Divisional Secretariat Division, which is currently dilapidated.
Residents of the area said that earlier, about 60 farmer families had cultivated paddy under this tank during both, the Maha and Yala seasons. At present, they cultivate only during the Maha season, with the use of rainwater. However, under the current renovation programme, the tank is to be deepened and the tank bund is to be elevated so as to accommodate the due water capacity. The government has allocated Rs.2.8 million for the purpose.
Piyasiri Rathnayaka, the irrigation officer of the region, said that the Meewalapathaha tank is the only water source in the area.
He said that he had requested previous governments to renovate the tank, but the issue had not been addressed. Rathnayaka commended the present government’s efforts to renovate the tank.
Sita de Silva, treasurer of the area’s farmer organisation, said that over 50 acres of paddy lands could be cultivated under this tank during both seasons, after the project is completed.
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