Blog Single

The launch of the handbook on the functions of the Ellanga Management Committee by the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project, which operates with World Bank assistance, was held today (30^th) at the Agriculture Ministry auditorium under the patronage of Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, Mr. K.D. Lalkantha.

Participating in this event, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, K.D. Lalkantha expressed his views.

“I am sad about the ending of this project. This project is of great importance. I really love this project. Because we were raised, grew up, ran and played in these tanks. We are determined that the entire Ellanga system should be restored. That’s why we have allocated funds for small tanks in this year’s budget as well. We are taking steps as a Ministry to take them forward. The most serious problem we face when restoring this tank system is people settling inside these tanks. We are currently taking steps to remove the constructions within the Nuwara Wewa embankment. Marking the boundaries of tanks is a big challenge we have.

I am taking a firm stance that the major tanks and the Ellanga system must be liberated. For this purpose, vote base, friendship, and political influences are not relevant. We must do this. Doing this task is a great service to the country.

Doing justice to a tank means doing justice to the entire country. At present, there is no political influence on these projects. Let us carry out this task with courage. I am grateful to all the officers who dedicated themselves to successfully completing this project.

On this occasion, a special lecture on the functions of the Ellanga Management Committee was presented by Professor Danthure Wickramasinghe.

Project Director of this project, Mr. Saman Bandulasena, Senior Agriculture Specialist of World Bank Dr. Athula Senaratne, and other project officials participated in this occasion.