Nearly 750 rural families of Tissawa in the Kurunegala District are undergoing much inconvenience since the drinking water project meant for them is now at a standstill due to the non-attention of the concerned authorities.
When the Sunday Observer queried over this burning issue from the Most Ven. Mugunuwatawana Siddatha Nayaka Thera, Chief Sanganayake of the Wayamba Province and who is also the Chief Incumbent of the Tissawa Raja Maha Vihara Buddhist Temple in the Kurunegala District said that: “Water is a precious gift of nature and it is an essential requirement of all.
He said the Government has to expedite all activities that are possible to make these people happy and steps should be taken to provide them with safe drinking water at the very earliest.
This drinking water project for the people of this area was launched in 2018 by the Kurunegala Regional Office of the Water Board and consequently, a large well as well as a tube well was constructed.
Pump house
A massive overhead tank to store water was also built for along with a pump house for the same purpose.
The underground pipes lines too have been already laid that will carry the water supply to the homes.
It is only the electricity supply that has to be provided to this water project. The construction of this drinking water project was completed in 2019.
However, nearly four years have elapsed and still there is no electricity to generate the water project and the relevant authorities have opted to turn a blind eye on the issue.
Untold hardships
Villagers of Tissawa, Nagulmunna, Siyambalawewa, Lenapelessa, Mapitigedara and Saranagama villages are now undergoing untold hardships due to the non- functioning of this drinking water project”, the Sanganayake Thera said.
When this matter was raised with the Chairman of the Panduwasnuwara Pradeshiya Sabha Dharmasena Bamunusinghe he said that this drinking water project does not come under his purview.
This particular water project had commenced during the previous Good Governance Government. The Water Board had started the project but they have failed to complete it so far.
There are some other water projects in the Kurunegala District that are still to be completed.
However, immediate steps should be taken by the relevant authorities to provide pure drinking water as it is a fundamental right of the citizens of this country.
When Dhammika Gunasekara, Chief Engineer of the Kurunegala District Water Board Regional Office was contacted, he said: I have already informed the relevant Water Consumers’ Society to get the electricity as soon as possible.
Power supply
“If they obtain the power supply, we will take prompt action to supply water to these deserving families. However, I will look into this issue as early as possible since our duty is to serve the common masses of this region at all times. We are bound to serve the masses since we are paid by their taxes,” he said.
“Water Supply Minister Vasudewa Nananyakkara always plays an important role in supplying drinking water to the common people of this country.
He personally intervenes when problems arise in the field of supplying water to the people of this country. Even President Gotabaya Rajapakse always looks into the grievances of the common people of this country with a view to making their lives happy and satisfied at all times.
He does everything with a far-sighted vision for the betterment of people of this country and all citizens of this country have to admire his mission for green agriculture in Sri Lanka”, he said.
Speaking to the Sunday Observer, Ven. Siddatha Nayaka Thera said we should be thankful to the President for his bold initiatives to introduce green agriculture to Sri Lanka despite many unpatriotic critics.
The programs launched by the Government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa are very meaningful and far-sighted and we have to be grateful for that, he said.