Deduru Oya project nearing completion

Priyanka Kurugala in Deduruoya

Seventy percent of the construction of the Deduru Oya project has been completed.

The project will be inaugurated at the end of 2013, project director B A A S Perera said.

Addressing the media at the project site, Perera said it will be possible to cultivate around 27,000 acres of paddy under this project.

"Around 15,000 families will directly benefit under the project.

Around 200,000 individuals will directly and indirectly benefit," he said.

"The total estimated cost of the project is Rs 6,000 million. Rs 4,200 million has been spent for the project todate.

Around 90 percent of construction of the main bunt has been completed while 60 percent construction of the left bank sluice too has been completed. Eighty five percent of the south bank sluice and 90 percent of the left bank sluice 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 cultivated only one season per a year, under the Deduru Oya, will be able to cultivate Yala and Maha seasons, after the completion of the Deduru Oya project. The capacity of the reservoir is cubic metres 75 million, he said.

The Deduru Oya irrigation project is Sri Lanka's first modern reservoir built utilizing local engineering technology. This is the largest

irrigation project in the Kurunegala district, he said.

"Around 300 mini reservoirs under the major reservoir will be developed under the project. This will be a boost for development and enhance the living standard of the people in the area," he said.

The left canal will divert water from Deduru Oya to Inginimitiya reservoir to a length of 44 kilometers. The Southern canal will divert water at Kadigawa, Mahawewa. It is 33 kilometers and will generate 1.5 Mega Watts of power.

The Deduru Oya project was accelerated under the Mahinda Chinthanaya programme. Eleven thousand families will directly benefit under the Deduru Oya reservoir project.

Deduru Oya Project director planning Malani Kulasinghe also participated in this event.

http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/02/21/news12.asp