The Minister said this while speaking to the media after visiting the Uma-Oya Multipurpose Development Project last week.

She also said that all plans have been prepared to declare open the Uma-Oya Multipurpose Development Project under the leadership of the President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Iran’s President Ibrahim Raisi on Wednesday. Minister Wanniarachchi said that it was a victory.

The Minister first travelled to observe the Diaraba Reservoir and the Puhulpola Reservoir in the Welimada area of Bandarawela, which are the two reservoirs that collect water required for the production of electricity in the Uma-Oya project.

Minister Wanniarachchi also visited the underground power plant in Ella Karandagolla area and observed the power generation activities there.

Speaking to the media after the observation visit, the Minister said that it is a great achievement to be able to produce 120 megawatts of electricity through the Uma-Oya Multipurpose Development Project and connect it to the national power system. He pointed out that the production of electricity worth between 1,000 and 15,000 acres of paddy fields in Moneragala and Badulla districts is directly used for the cultivation of Yala Maha Dekenna after the production of electricity.

The Minister also mentioned that by being able to supply water, the development of the country’s agriculture sector will be positively affected. She also said that it is special to be able to supply drinking water to the people of Moneragala, Badulla and Bandarawela areas. She further said that the Uma-Oya Multi-Purpose Development Project is a huge project that will benefit the country’s national economy on the one hand and the livelihood development of the people of Badulla, Moneragala, Bandarawela and Hambantota areas on the other.

Project Director Eng. D. C. S. Alakanda, Resident Project Eng. Priyantha Nanayakkara, Iran Farab Construction Company Project Manager P. Dezfuli, and the site manager of the company M. Malekpour and others were present.

Project at a glance…

* The project was officially launched in 2010, with an estimated cost of US$ 514 million.

* All the constructions are carried out by the Farab Institute, which is the contracting company of the Iranian Government, and the Central Consultancy Bureau is monitoring the engineering works on behalf of the Irrigation Ministry (Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau).

* Under the Uma-Oya Multi-Purpose Development Project, a dam will first be constructed at the Puhulpola Reservoir and the water collected there will be brought to Diaraba Reservoir through a 4 km tunnel.

*A dam will be constructed at the Diaraba Reservoir, the water brought from the Puhulpola Reservoir will be stored there and then the water will be brought through a 15.5 km long tunnel to two turbines located underground in the Ella Karandagolla area.

* The two turbines produce 60 megawatts of hydroelectricity separately, and thus an electrical capacity of 120 megawatts is added to the national grid. The electricity produced in this way will be taken to Badulla for a distance of 23 kilometres through 65 high voltage power lines and connected to the national power system.

*After power generation, the water will be brought to the Alikota reservoir through another 4 km tunnel. Accidentally, the water is brought to Handapanagala and Kudoya reservoirs. By doing so, 1,500 hectares of old paddy fields and 4,500 hectares of new paddy fields will be directly irrigated to 15,000 acres of paddy fields for both the lower and upper regions.

*It is also expected to take the extra water discharged after the cultivation activities to the Lunugam Wehera area of Hambantota district and provide water for the cultivation activities of the Yala Maha Dekhanna for thirty thousand acres of paddy fields in that area.

* Through the Kirindioya Basin, the Uva Wellassa farmlands will be fertilised and this will enable the drinking water needs of the people of Badulla, Moneragala and Bandarawela areas to be fulfilled.