A number of development programs were launched under the Dumbara Green Empowerment Project recently with Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation, K.D. Lal Kantha being the chief guest.
A program to remove aquatic plants from Thunhiriya Wewa (tank) was initiated at a cost of Rs. 4,210,900. This tank irrigates 392 acres of paddy fields, directly and indirectly benefiting 1,200 people.
Under the Kunjumbanda Wewa development program, the tank’s embankment and spillway will be renovated, and a new sluice will be constructed. This will enable the cultivation of an additional 10 acres of paddy fields.
“This country has collapsed because of state officials and citizens who were influenced by politicians”
A mixed-crop cashew cultivation project with elephant-repellent crop barriers is being carried out at the Kawudupalessa Nalanda Estate under the Dumbara Green Empowerment Project, with an investment of Rs. 67,300,580.
During the event, Minister K.D. Lal Kantha said, “The combination of the (Wava) tank, the (Chithtiya) pagoda, the village, and the (Pansala)temple created our prosperous villages. In dry zones like Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, there is no life without tanks. Sri Lanka didn’t dig tanks; we built them. That’s why it’s called the ‘kingdom of tanks.’ The tank was always located above the village and the crops. We are making a great effort to restore these tanks. We are repairing them under the ‘Irrigation Glory – Our Heritage’ program.
Wildlife damage to agriculture has become a serious problem. There is no concept of ‘wildlife management’ in our country. We don’t have a specific or responsible institution for it. The Department of Wildlife is only there to look after the animals. We need an institution and a plan for wildlife management. To manage wildlife, we first need to count them. We need to know their numbers. We recently conducted a count of wild animals, and we will take further action on that.
We have funds to spend under the Knuckles project. Our challenge is to spend this money effectively and quickly. If we don’t spend this money, the project will be a failure. We are working to ensure the benefits of these projects reach the people.
We have a problem. What were the departments doing while a tank was being destroyed to this extent? What were the farmer organizations, government officials, and volunteer organizations doing? They wait until the tank is completely covered in weeds and then ask the Minister to clean it. Can a country be built that way? Everyone needs to have a vested interest in these things. Only when everyone’s interests are united can we move the country forward. That’s why our program is named ‘Eka Mitata – Govi Bimata’ (United to the Farmland). Political parties are useless. When the algae starts growing in the tank, everyone should get together and clean it. This country has collapsed because of politicians, state officials, citizens, and organizations. Let’s all get together and build this country.”
