Sri Lanka's third largest reservoir opens for Northern farmers

The LKR 2290 million Thanthirimale Reservoir Project, the third largest reservoir in Sri Lanka that was launched on August 25, opens cultivation opportunities through both seasons for many northern farmers for the first time in a long time.

“So far the farmers in this Northern region have been farming for only one season every year and this project enables them to farm through both seasons,” said the Minister of Industry, Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Cooperative Development, Skills Development & Vocational Training and Vanni District MP Rishad Bathiudeen on 25 August in Thanthirimale.

Minister Bathiudeen was addressing the launch of Rs 2290 Mn, four year-long Thanthirimale Reservoir Project - the third largest reservoir in Sri Lanka once completed- joined by PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Economic Affairs, Irrigation and Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development P Harrison, several MPs of Minister Bathiudeen’s ACMC, farmers of the region and other participants, on 25 August.

“This is a victory for farmers in this area and it strengthens them economically and agriculturally. Also water shortages faced by people in these areas, including Mannar are solved by this project. We are very happy to witness the launch of this historic project which will supply water to Anuradhapura, Mannar and Vavuniya Districts. Many previous governments tried to commence this project but it is this government that finally managed to launch it at a cost of Rs 2290 Mn. In the last four years PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, under the leadership of HE President, has been initiating many development projects across Sri Lanka with huge investments. Recently he opened 400 schools across the country at the same time from Kurunegala and then went on to launch work on 126 new roads in Trincomalee District at a cost of Rs 800 Mn. Today on behalf of farmers of Vanni District and other Northern Districts, I thank HE President Sirisena, PM Wickremesinghe and Minister Harrison for their commitment to this reservoir project," the Minister added.

12% of total sown acres of paddy in Sri Lanka (in Maha season, under all schemes) are in the Districts of Anuradhapura, Mannar and Vavuniya.

Once the Thanthirimale project is completed, it is expected to irrigate 30680 acres of paddy lands in these three Districts. 50000 families in these Districts will receive water supplies. Seven irrigation lakes in these three Districts will be filled by the new reservoir. Floods in Mannar District are expected to be tamed while Thanthirimale is to be shaped as an Economic Centre for North.