Select Committee of Parliament to carry out an in-depth investigation into the issues that have arisen related to the Nilwala river and other water bodies in Matara District and to make recommendations for the development of a set of new reconstruction proposals met in Parliament recently. The said Committee was chaired by Hon. (Mrs.) Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi, Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation and Minister of Irrigation.
Addressing the Committee, Committee members pointed out that the issue pertaining to the Nilwala river has been building up for many years. Accordingly, the Committee members discussed the importance of studying the research conducted by various scholars on the Nilwala river in Matara district in order to understand the issues accurately. The Committee also paid close attention to the inconvenience faced by the residents of the area due to the overflowing of the Nilwala river even during short rains. The members of the Committee stated that in this situation, the farmers of the said area have not been able to cultivate for many seasons and solutions should be sought before the next monsoon.
Accordingly, it was decided to appoint a panel of experts from the University of Ruhuna, University of Peradeniya and University of Moratuwa to independently identify the issues related to the Nilwala River and obtain an immediate report.
The Committee also decided to discuss with the people of the affected area and get their inputs on solutions to those problems.
It was also decided to immediately clean the main canals where the water flows from the Nilwala river before the upcoming rainy weather. Addressing the Committee, the Committee Chair pointed out that the cleaning of the canals has already begun.
Select Committee Members, Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma, Hon. Buddhika Pathirana, Hon. Weerasumana Weerasinghe, Hon. Nipuna Ranawaka were present at this event held.
