The Left Bank of the Minipe Canal and the anicut and the Yodha Ela which was modernized to enable retention of a large capacity of water, was vested in the farming community recently, under the patronage of Irrigation and Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe and State Minister of Irrigation Shasheendra Rajapaksa.
The project cost of Rs. 3,000 million came from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Sri Lanka.
Water that is disposed of from the Rantembe Reservoir subsequent to generating power is used for the Minipe Canal and with the objective of retaining more of this water, in conjunction with raising the anicut to a height of 3.5 metres, the Minipe Canal Left Bank which is 74 kilometres in length was completely renovated under this programme.
The purpose of these renovations was being able to retain a larger capacity of water, and in addition to the two seasons of Yala and Maha, to provide water for cultivations in between the two seasons. Kandy District Secretary Chandana Tennakoon said that this benefits 62,000 farming families who cultivate 75,000 acres of paddy fields.
A large crowd of people were present when the project was vested in the public, including Central Province Chief Secretary Ajith Premawansa, Kandy District Secretary Chandana Tennakoon, Irrigation Director General Ajith Gunasekera and Integrated National Farmers’ Association President Sunil Gamage.
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