Deduruoya project inauguration in 2013
The Deduruoya irrigation project, Sri Lanka’s first modern reservoir built utilizing local engineering technology will be inaugurated in mid 2013. This is the sixth largest irrigation project in the country and the largest irrigation project in the Kurunegala district, Irrigation and Water Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.
“Fifty percent of the construction of the Deduruoya project has been completed. It would be possible to cultivate around 27,000 acres of paddy under this project,” the minister said.
He said so while participating in an observation tour of the Deduruoya project on Saturday.
De Silva said, the total estimated cost of this project is Rs 7.5 billion. “Around 80 percent of the left bank construction has been completed. The authorities have estimated that it would be possible to provide drinking water to around 50,000 families under this project,” he said. Farmers who cultivate only one season per a year under the Deduruoya would be able to cultivate Yala and Maha seasons after completing all constructions of the Deduruoya project, the minister said.
“This will be a boost for development and enhance the living standard of the people in the area,” he said. Minister de Silva said, there will be around 300 mini reservoirs under the major reservoir.
Source: http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/07/04/news03.asp
Deduruoya project to benefit 50,000 families
The Rs.6.7 billion Deduruoya Reservoir Project that is nearing completion will bring 30,000 acres of arable land under cultivation benefiting over 50,000 farmers while also consolidating the national plan of food security in the country, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resource Management Nimal Siripala De Silva said in Wariyapola Friday.
He was speaking at a meeting at the Training Centre of the Sri Lanka School of Agriculture attended by Senior Minister S.B. Nawinna, PC Ministers,local politicians, senior officials of the Irrigation Department and representatives of the agricultural families. He addressed the meeting after visiting the project-site .
The produce of paddy and other highland crops, including vegetables and fruits, will increase many fold with cultivation becoming possible in the Maha and Yala seasons contributing to the , economic betterment of the farmers, the Minister said. Rs.942 ml has already been paid as compensation to the families who were displaced under the project and the payment of compensation will exceed Rs.01 billion, he said, adding that this is the largest amount to be paid as compensation to families displaced under a reservoir project.
About 700 families have already been resettled in other locations with allotments of land plots to the extent of 1/2 acre to 01 acre. Infrastructure facilities, including roads, electricity and schools, and clean drinking water will be additional facilities that the farmer families will get under the project, considerably improving their quality of life, he said. The project will attract a tourist flow to the project site and the neighbouring areas, he said.
The project is a unique achievement of the Irrigation Department of his Ministry that everything from conducting feasibility studies to designing the various components and the construction is done by the Department, the Minister said.
The Minister also met some of the displaced families who sought his assistance to have their problems in resettling sorted out.
No comments:
Post a Comment