Protests Against Uma Oya

Crisis

A protest was held in Bandarawela to repair a leak in a tunnel of the Uma Oya multipurpose development project. More than 30,000 individuals comprising of religious leaders, local government members, closed shops, markets and other premises joined to force the government to repair the leak in the tunnel and to provide compensation for the damage caused for the people due to the development work carried out in the project.  The project was launched in 2009 to provide irrigation and drinking purposes for Hadapangala and Lunugamwehera reservoirs. The total costs of the project are 530 million US$. According to reports 80 million litres of water each day released due to the water leak in the tunnel.  More than 4000 houses observed with cracks in their walls after the project started. 

Meanwhile, the cabinet appointed a three member subcommittee to submit an initial report on the situation. The Committee is scheduled to make a trip to the town next week where discussions are to be held with all affected parties. The subcommittee consists of Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Champika Ranawaka and Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management Wijith Wijayamuni Zoysa