{"id":238241,"date":"2024-08-19T00:03:17","date_gmt":"2024-08-18T18:33:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=238241"},"modified":"2024-08-26T12:25:59","modified_gmt":"2024-08-26T06:55:59","slug":"river-for-jaffna-white-elephant-in-the-offing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/river-for-jaffna-white-elephant-in-the-offing\/","title":{"rendered":"River For Jaffna \u2013 White Elephant In The Offing\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Gnana Sankaralingam<\/a> –<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam<\/p><\/div>\n

Recently while opening the de-salination plant in eastern Vadamaradchy, President Ranil Wickremesinghe<\/a><\/span> said that he would commission river for Jaffna project<\/a><\/span>, which Tamils are not going to take seriously. However it is worth examining feasibilty of it. Already there is one river in Jaffna peninsula, Valuki Aru, originating in Alavedy and confluencing at Araly, which in most of the time of the year runs dry. Hence this would be the second.<\/p>\n

One of the problem faced by people of Jaffna is the lack of potable and arable water supply. Ground water is the main source for agriculture in Jaffna through lift irrigation from wells, initially manually and now mechanised using pumps. While it is the preferred method for cash crops, rice cultivation is rain fed, where 90% of rain fall is in October to December. Due to excessive use of ground water, wells in some parts have turned brackish.<\/p>\n

\"\"In Jaffna peninsula, there are two lagoons, Vadamaradchy of 77 sq. kms and Upparu of 26 sq. kms, flowing over at Thondamanaru and Navatkuli respectively. During north-east monsoon rain water collects in them, mixing with salt water entering at high tide. Proposals to prevent it and improve fresh water situation in Jaffna peninsula had been there for many years, but had not become successful due to financial and logistical constraints. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Project envisages the reconditioning of barrages at Thondamanaru and Navatkuli to make them watertight to become fresh water lagoons; converting Elephant Pass lagoon into fresh water by closing off the openings under road and rail bridges at the western end and building causeway with spill and bund at Chundikulam at the eastern end; and constructing 4 km long and 14 meter wide channel to connect it with Vadamaradchy lagoon.<\/p>\n

This concept depends on the rainfall in Vanni region, which is low except during the north-east monsoon, to feed the Elephant Pass lagoon. Even if the two lagoons in Jaffna are made fresh water, the amount of water in them is hardly adequate to meet the demands of people. Augmenting it with water from the Vanni, is not going to make this river a perennial one. Similar to Valuki Aru, this too is bound to run dry in most times of the year.<\/p>\n

Water problem in Jaffna peninsula should be solved same way as Singapore, where multiple desalination plants were built to meet the demands for fresh water. If areas where wells have high salinity are supplied with pipe borne fresh water, these wells would become redundant, and plants could be irrigated using tap water. Moreover, there is saline resistant paddy and coconut plants obtainable for cultivation in terrain with high salinity.<\/p>\n

Converting the two lagoons into fresh water ones by strengthening the barrages at Thondamanaru and Navatkuli is good, so that at least for few months people around may be able to get fresh water for drinking and farming. This would also reduce salinity in the wells as well as lands around. In reality, it would be wiser to accept the natural condition of these regions and to supply fresh water to them through multiple desalination plants.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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