The potters in the Panduwasnuwara electorate of the Kurunegala District, who are engaged in the conventional industry of pottery, have become helpless and miserable due to the inability to obtain clay and water required for manufacturing pottery. These folk supply natural pottery for Sri Lankan housewives to cook, instead of the aluminium utensils which have been discouraged due to health reasons.
The potters of the Ambagaswewa village in the Panduwasnuwara electorate belong to an ancient generation, hailing since the first king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, King Pandukabhaya. There are nearly 176 families engaged in the making of pottery in this village. Their only source of income is through this means. However, their livelihood is now at risk as they are faced with a scarcity of clay and water which are the most important raw materials of the industry. They have to pay heavily for both water and clay, transported from far away areas.
J.A.Wimalasena, former Treasurer of the Potters’ Co-operative Society of the Kurunegala District told the Sunday Observer that the authorities, including Ministers and the NWP-PC councillors and the NWP -Chief Minister of the Kurunegala District have not paid due attention to help them, so far.
They have not received any relief in the form of credit facilities or other support from government institutes to carry on their traditional pottery industry which lies now in a neglected state. “Those days, we had sufficient clay as we were provided with suitable lands by the government and necessary water resources, but now, they are no more,”, Wimalasena pointed out.