The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) charged today that the present crisis in the paddy cultivation areas was because of the improper management of water being used for irrigation though the government conveniently blamed it on the prolonged dry weather.

JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a news conference that water had been released from Kalaweva to Tissaweva and Nuwaraweva in the Anuradhapura district without carrying out a proper assessment of water required for paddy lands, which were cultivated in the Yala season.

“Kalaweva is a major irrigation tank. A large quantity of water has been released from this tank to fill Nuwaraweva and Tissaweva in the Anuradhapura urban area in view of the Poson festival. It appears that the authorities were only interested in keeping these two tanks filled to the brim during the festivities.  But this shortsighted action has resulted in the farmers being badly affected,” he said. (KB)