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Kantale tank has insufficient water for cultivation

by Trincomalee correspondent

With the diversion of Mahaweli water from the Minneriya tank, the Kantale tank now has over 35,000 acrefeet of water which will not be sufficient to feed the Venderesankulam tank.

The water level at Kantale tank should increase to 45,000 acrefeet before water can be released to the Venderesankulam tank under which 1,600 acres of land could be cultivated.

Under Kantale scheme including Van Ela and Venderesanpura a total of 18,000 acres of land have been cultivated during the Maha season. Land preparation was done with rain water and the two weeks old paddy plants now require water for survival. However water could not be released to the paddy fields until Venderesankulam tank was filled. In the meantime a deputation of farmers from Kantale led by UNP organiser Sunil Santha Ranaweera met the Minister of Irrigation and Water Management Gamini Jayawickrema Perera and requested more water to be diverted to Kantale tank.

The cultivation of 1,400 acres of land under Mahadiulwewa scheme has commenced on December 1, with the Mahadiulwewa tank receiving rain water. The tank now has over 7,000 acrefeet of water.

After sixteen years paddy cultivation is being done during the current Maha under the Yan Oya scheme. 1,600 acres of land could be cultivated under this scheme with water obtained from the Yan Oya river. People could not do any cultivation before because of the conflict.

2,000 acres of land out of a total of 4,041 acres have been brought under paddy cultivation during the Maha season under Morawewa scheme. The Morawewa tank has 15,000 acrefeet of water at the moment.

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