Monday May 13, 2024
Monday May 13, 2024
Tuesday, 8 August 2023 01:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation, in collaboration with fellow farmers, filed an official complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) yesterday, as a dire situation unfolds for thousands of farmers due to the withholding of water from the Samanalawewa reservoir, critical for paddy cultivation.
“A staggering 65,000 acres of paddy lands nurtured under the Udawalawe reservoir are now at the precipice of complete devastation due to the severe scarcity of water,” All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation National Agrarian Unity President Anuradha Tennakoon told journalists after filing their complaint to the HRCSL yesterday.
The water level within the Udawalawe reservoir has dwindled to a mere 2%, prompting Tennakoon to underscore that the release of water from the Samanalawewa reservoir remains the last chance to salvage these vital agricultural plots.
A core contention is the Government’s stance on retaining water in the Samanalawewa reservoir for hydropower generation, a decision that has triggered concerns. With hydropower generation in the Samanalawewa reservoir plummeting to a mere 10 MW and facing the looming prospect of reaching zero capacity, Tennakoon warns of the dual catastrophe that awaits.
“Not only would the absence of hydropower generation ensue, but the widespread destruction of paddy fields would be an additional grievous consequence when there is no food for people to eat,” he claimed.
He emphasised that farmers proceeded with paddy cultivation under the assurance of water release by the government. The perceived breach of this commitment is viewed as a violation of their human rights.
“We are poised to file a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court, targeting the pertinent authorities responsible for the failure to release water for essential paddy cultivation,” he added.
Separately, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) also revealed that 12 districts across the country currently grappling with drinking water shortages, an issue intensified by the prevailing dry weather conditions.
“Nearly 48,000 families are directly affected by this alarming scarcity. Mitigation efforts are underway to alleviate the crisis, with plans to distribute drinking water to around 156,000 affected individuals in 40 Divisional Secretariat Divisions, by using the Disaster Management Centre’s bowsers,” DMC Director-General Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe explained the gravity of the situation.
Noting that the Government has spent around Rs. 2 million to provide drinking water within the last two weeks alone, Ranasinghe said that a special program has been initiated to distribute drinking water to hospitals in all the affected districts.
The far-reaching consequences of the water shortage extend beyond human beings, as animals also bear the brunt of the crisis. Maj. Gen. Ranasinghe acknowledges the involvement of responsible institutions, such as the Department of Forest Conservation and the Wildlife Department, working collaboratively to provide water through bowsers as part of the multifaceted response strategy.
