The Department of Irrigation says that there will be no issue in releasing water for paddy fields during the upcoming ‘Yala’ season this year.

Director of Irrigation (Water Management), H.M.P.S.D. Herath, stated that 76% of the water capacity in the main reservoirs under the Irrigation Department has already been stored.

He noted that nearly 800,200 acres are being supplied with water through 376 irrigation projects across the island, while 697,800 acres of the total farmland have been planned for cultivation during the ‘Yala’ season this year.

Of this extent, 651,000 acres have been allocated for paddy cultivation and 46,800 acres for subsidiary crops. Authorities have confirmed that water supply will be adequate for these requirements, Herath said.

He further stated that land preparation and re-cultivation activities in major irrigation projects have already commenced, with work completed in 205 major irrigation projects, where re-cultivation began on April 1.

He added that land preparation in another 75 agricultural lands is expected to be completed to re-cultivate before the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year, while activities in the remaining irrigation projects will commence after the festive season.

However, he emphasized the importance of using water sparingly for land preparation due to prevailing extremely dry weather conditions, noting increased evaporation due to high temperatures.

Accordingly, it is very important to use only the necessary amount of water for land preparation whenever possible, he pointed out.

He also stressed that future water management should be carried out in line with decisions of the special committee overseeing drinking water management and other relevant bodies, urging farmers and agricultural officers to ensure maximum efficiency in water usage. 

He further assured that there will be sufficient water for the ‘Yala season’, with the possibility of conserving a portion for drinking purposes in the upcoming season by using water sparingly.