Minister chairs special talks to speed up Puttalam drinking water projects

Colombo, May 26 (Daily Mirror) - A special discussion was held yesterday (25) at the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, chaired by Minister Professor Chandana Abayaratne, focusing on the severe drinking water crisis faced by residents in the area and issues surrounding the Kala Oya and Ma Oya water supply projects aimed at resolving long-standing water shortages in several Divisional Secretariat divisions of the Puttalam District.

The meeting focused on the ongoing drinking water crisis faced by residents in the area, with particular emphasis on removing administrative and technical obstacles that have delayed progress and expediting implementation of the two major water supply projects.

During the discussions, key stakeholder institutions including the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, the Irrigation Department, and the Department of Wildlife Conservation reached a consensus on coordinated action. They agreed to move forward with project activities in compliance with required environmental reports while accelerating procedural approvals and field-level coordination to ensure early delivery of safe drinking water to affected communities.

Officials noted that the Puttalam District Secretariat had earlier highlighted implementation challenges during the District Coordinating Committee meeting held on 2026.05.14, citing difficulties affecting water supply solutions for divisions including Kalpitiya, Puttalam, Mundalama, Mahakumbukkadawala, Vanathavilluwa, Dankotuwa, Wennappuwa, and Nattandiya. Based on those concerns, the urgent special meeting was convened at ministry level.

The discussion also examined inter-agency coordination gaps, land and environmental clearance requirements, and project readiness status, with emphasis on fast-tracking field implementation once approvals are finalized.

Puttalam District MP Mohamed Faisal, along with senior officials including the Chairman of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board Engineer Chandana Bandara, and Director Generals of the Irrigation Department and the Department of Wildlife Conservation, participated in the meeting. Officials from relevant technical and administrative institutions were also present. Further follow-up actions are expected to be implemented in the coming weeks to ensure uninterrupted progress of the projects.