Sri Lanka to lose billions if water is not given to rice fields

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka said that the country's economy would suffer a loss of over Rs. 30 Billion following the Cabinet decision to prioritize electricity generation, and not to release water from the Samanala Wewa to rice fields.

Deputy Director General of the Mahaweli Authority, Engineer Nilantha Dhanapala speaking to News 1st said that if water is released, at least 60% of the paddy lands can be saved. 

Over 25,000 hectares of rice fields in the Moneragala, Embilipitiya, and Ratnapura Districts receive water from the Udawalwa Reservoir via two waterways, namely the Walawa Left and Right Bank canals.

More than 30,000 families directly depend on the water from the Udawalawa Reservoir.

Sri Lankan authorities reached a decision not to release water from the Samanala Wewa to the Udawalawa Reservoir, citing the need to provide an uninterrupted supply of power to the Southern Province.

However, this decision has led to the destruction of many rice fields, and this is the fate of over 200 acres of rice fields in the Pawu-Wewa village in Angunukolapelessa.

Rice fields in the UD 77 and UD 78 settlements in Katuwewa, Hambantota also experienced a similar fate.

Farmers pointed out that 50% of the rice fileds in the villages have been destroyed due to the lack of water.

Farmers from Weli Oya on Wednesday (2) decided to release a portion of the water they had collected for the Udawalawa Reservoir.

However, the water from the Weli Oya released to the Udawalawa Reservoir is not sufficient.

The Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka said there is no alternative aprt from releasing water from the Samanala Wewa to save the rice fields.

" I believe that given the situation the loss would be around Rs. 30 Billion. We as state sector employees get a salary. However, the farmers depend on agriculture. I cannot speak on 100% of this. If a positive decision is reached, we can at least save around 60% of the rice fields," said Engineer Nilantha Dhanapala, the Deputy Director General of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority. 

What led to this crisis?

There are concerns surrounding the modus operandi followed with regard to water management, while there are forecasts related to weather patterns. 

Sri Lanka's meteorological services forecast that less rainfall will be experienced during the Yala Season.

However, on the Director of the Water Management Secretariat assured me that water will be provided until the 20th of August.

It was based on this assurance that farmers decided to cultivate their lands, some even resorting to pawning their assets.

Farmers who cultivated, paddy, and other crops, as well as the farmers from Sevanagala who cultivate sugar cane, have been impacted by this decision.

The Management of the Sevanagala Sugar Factory warned that the factory operations will come to standstill if water is not provided.

"We require 1,600 cubic meters of water per hours, and we obtain water from the Udawalawa Reservour Left Bank Canal. We will not be able to operate the factory in another two weeks. We are trying to secure water from the Samanala Wewa," pointed out Gamini Rasaputhra, the Executive Director of the Lanka Sugar Company.

The Met Department warned that Sri Lanka will not experience sufficient rainfall until October.

If that is the case, farmers who lost their cultivations during the Yala Season, will face uncertainty during the Maha Season.