Former President Maithripala Sirisena has urged the government to accelerate the construction of canals to divert excess water from the Moragahakanda and Kalu Ganga reservoirs to Anuradhapura and the North Western Province. He has emphasised the urgent need to address flood damage in the Polonnaruwa District caused by the recent heavy rains.
Polonnaruwa has been severely impacted, with crops destroyed, property damaged, and residents facing significant hardship. Sirisena attributed the devastation to the lack of adequate infrastructure to manage water flow from the reservoirs.
“In 2019, around 15 to 20 kilometres of canals were built to carry water from Moragahakanda to Anuradhapura and the North West. However, from 2019 to 2024, the construction of these essential canals completely stalled under subsequent governments,” Sirisena stated.
He highlighted that had the canals been completed, the Polonnaruwa District would not have suffered such extensive destruction. Instead, excess water now overflows into the Mahaweli River, with large volumes ultimately flowing into the sea, wasting a valuable resource that could otherwise support agricultural development.
Sirisena called on the current administration to prioritise the construction of the remaining canals, stressing their importance in preventing future flooding and enhancing agricultural productivity in the North Western Province and Anuradhapura District.
“The government must act promptly to ensure this vital water is not wasted. By diverting it effectively, we can alleviate the suffering in Polonnaruwa and boost agricultural development in the affected regions,” he added.
