Students restore Galkulama tank...

Students of Elizabeth Moir School — Meliza de Silva, Savani Danangoda-Gamage, and Rajindu Normanbhoy — set out to clear the Galkulama Tank, polluted with the invasive plant species Japanjabara, in the Anuradhapura District. This initiative was part of the Sri Lanka Model United Nations Ambassadors Project — an inter-school programme aimed at improving the environment and community in Sri Lanka, affiliated with the renowned island-wide simulation of the United Nations. The students received tremendous support from Brigadier Pradeepa Siriwardene, Commander of the 211 Infantry Brigade of the Sri Lanka Army.

Armed with bracelets, brownies, and mehendi cones, the three students visited CCC’s Playtrix and Goodmarket to raise funds, successfully collecting a substantial amount for this vital project.

At the tank, farmers shared their insights on the dangers of pollution and its negative impact on the agricultural sector of Padaviya. Although the tank had been cleared once before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, neglecting the rapid regrowth of the invasive species resulted in over 70% of the 30-acre tank being covered in Japanjabara. Eutrophication had depleted the fresh water, on which more than 270 families relied for farming and fisheries.

One farmer expressed his gratitude, noting the positive impact of the clean-up: fresh water can now be sourced sustainably, eliminating the need to spend LKR 15,000 per bowser to maintain fish farms — a cost that had halted fish farming. This will allow farmers to resume operations in the coming years, creating six new job opportunities for the town.

The removed Japanjabara will now be repurposed as fertiliser, marking the beginning of a promising new season for the farmers of Padaviya.