An old tank in Sigiriya has dried up after the construction of a tunnel system designed to transport water from Moragahakanda Tank to the North Central Province.
Villagers of Ilukwewa in Sigiriya complained that cultivation tanks, underground wells, and the old tank have completely dried out, leaving residents who depend on the water to protest against the Mahaweli Authority and the Chinese construction company involved in the project.
Farmland near the village has remained without water, causing paddy and vegetable crops to wither.
According to the villagers, the tank’s water was drained within three days using pipes, with the claim that the water was seeping into the underground tunnel. The residents later discovered that the tank’s water did not seep into the tunnel. Instead, water that flowed toward the paddy fields had seeped into the tunnel.
Villagers further explained that the Chinese construction company had promised to supply water to their farmland through pipelines, but failed to deliver on this commitment.
Farmers also noted that fish in the tank had died due to the lack of water, resulting in a foul smell of rotting fish in the area.
A Mahaweli Authority official stated that the action was taken with the consent of the president of the farmers’ association. However, the association president clarified that he is responsible only for the paddy fields and not for other cultivations.
He emphasized that he does not possess any document authorizing the removal of water from the tank, which belongs to the Agrarian Services Department.
