Uma Oya project: two remaining drinking water projects to be completed soon

The Attorney General yesterday informed the Supreme Court that the two remaining drinking water projects out of three targeting the people affected by Uma Oya Multi-purpose Project are to be completed by May this year. The Attorney General made these remarks consequent to a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Centre for Environmental Justice, and four individuals, including M.D.P. Manatunga, who are residents of the Bandarawela area,affected as a result of the Uma Oya multi purpose project. The Supreme Court was further informed by a Senior State Counsel (SSC) that the Provincial Director of Agricultural in the Uva Province has taken necessary steps to grant compensation for the farmers whose crops were destroyed by Uma Oya multi-purpose project.On a previous occasion, the Supreme Court had ordered the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment to complete its drinking water projects by early this year.

The Attorney General had earlier submitted in Court, a copy of Cabinet memorandum issued regarding the Uma Oya project.

The Cabinet memorandum submitted by the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment had identified the main socio-economic problems in the areas affected by the Uma Oya project. The Cabinet memorandum stated; the ingress of water into the head face tunnel which occurred on December 4, 2014 resulting in some socio-economic problems including the drying up of wells, developing cracks in houses, damaging crops around the areas of water ingress into tunnel located in the District Secretariat areas of Bandarawela and Ella.

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