21 August 2023 02:58 pm Views - 878
Due to the prevailing dry weather conditions, only a total of 8,30,000 acre-feet of water capacity is available for use out of the water capacity in 73 major reservoirs, said Irrigation Department Engineer Sudarshi Widanapathirana.
She told the media that 27.8 percent of the water is possible for use.
"Among the total reservoirs, 62 have a capacity of less than 50 percent of water, and 14 reservoirs in Hambantota, Anuradhapura, Kurunegala and Mannar districts have a capacity of less than 10 percent," she said.
A total of 800,000 acres of crops are being cultivated under the Irrigation Department, and 5,86,960 acres have been occupied with paddy cultivation in the Yala season. 71,400 additional crops have been cultivated on land areas. By today, the harvest from a total of 60 percent of crops have been collected, and releasing waste from 95 percent of cultivation lands has been completed.
Due to the precarious drought situation, the Irrigation Department requested the people and farmers use the water sparingly. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)