Sediment excavation activities being carried out at minor irrigation tanks in the Anuradhapura district, are progressing successfully under the instructions of Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake. The Anuradhapura Assistant Agrarian Development Commissioner's Office had embarked on the project.
Referring to the implementation of the project, Anuradhapura District Agrarian Development Assistant Commissioner Asanka Somawansa told the Daily News that silt in 200 small tanks had been removed during the last four months at the level of 42 agrarian development jurisdictions.
"It is our aim to cover a minimum of 400 to 500 rural tanks under this sediment removal programme in order to increase their water capacity. The first programme was launched under two phases and the government had allocated around Rs. 13 million for the exercise.
Farmer organisations were entrusted with the contract under the supervision of our engineering and technical staff," Somanwansa said.