Agricultural rejuvenation with commissioning of Moragahakanda reservoir, says farmer community

Tuesday, 23 January 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Farmers in Elehera-Bakamuna area say there has been an agricultural rejuvenation in the area with the commissioning of the gigantic Moragahakanda reservoir, which irrigates vast quantity of agricultural lands.

The farmers started using water from Moragahakanda for wet farming as well as dry farming and they plan to cultivate paddy and other crops both in Yala season and Maha season for the first time this year.

The residents in the area, which had a long history of water shortage receive sufficient amount of water for their day to day use as well as for irrigating their fields. They express gratitude to the Government for implementing the Moragahakanda project, the last of the five Mahaweli projects, which was considerably delayed due to various reasons. Moragahakanda-Kalu Ganga project was the biggest scheme of the five Mahaweli projects. Water from this reservoir flows to districts of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Matale and Wayamba Province throughout the year.

President Maithripala Sirisena commissioned the Moragahakanda reservoir on 8 January commencing supply of water to Elahera, Bakamuna area and the flow of water continues through canals to reservoirs of Parakrama Samudraya, Minneriya and Giritale.

Friday morning (19 January), the water capacity of Moragahakanda read as 107,800 hectare foot, while Giritale (9150 hectare foot) and Minneriya (34233 hectare foot).

With the construction of Moragahakanda reservoir, 818 sq. metres of water that flowed to the ocean at a regular basis could be saved and utilised to fulfil the water requirements of the people in several provinces, for which people praise President Sirisena, who relentlessly worked to ensure speedy completion of this important project.