Lower Malwathu Oya Reservoir Project begins; Chinese firm leads construction

Colombo (News 1st); Construction work on the proposed Lower Malwathu Oya reservoir project commenced on Wednesday (31) in Tantirimale.

The project will be carried out by a Chinese company, and the Proposed Malwathu Oya Reservoir will be located across Malwathu Oya at Kappachchi which lies in Anuradhapura and Vavuniya Districts. The proposed Lower Malwathu Oya reservoir is to be constructed by erecting a dam across the Malwathu Oya from the Bogoda area. The total cost for the project is approximately Rs. 22,500 million. The project will provide water to the people in Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya districts for consumption and agricultural purposes. "The project comes following a request from the local farming community made back in 2009/10," said Minister of Irrigation Chamal Rajapaksa at the project launch on Wednesday (31). "The people who already have access to pipe-borne water do not understand the water demand. When we try to construct a tank they put forward various arguments on environmental destruction. Yet, only the people with no access to water understand the need for it," said the Minister. Several members of parliament representing the Tamil National Alliance were seen at the project launch.