The "Clean Sri Lanka" programme to precisely demarcate the boundaries and reserve areas of several major tanks belonging to the historic Magampura Kingdom was inaugurated today (August 29) at the historic Tissamaharama Tissa Wewa in Hambantota district.

The primary objective of this programme is to protect the historic tanks from severe threats caused by unauthorized land grabbing, illegal constructions, agricultural chemicals and waste pollution of water, as well as destruction of the forest.

Under this initiative, the precise boundaries of the tanks managed by the Department of Irrigation will be identified with the assistance of the Survey Department, and the land will be marked using Boundry Posts belonging to the Department of Irrigation. Simultaneously, appropriate tree species are planned to be planted as biological fences along these boundaries.

During this year, the boundaries of 23 tanks across the island are planned to be clearly demarcated using this method. The programme was recently inaugurated at Nuwara Wewa in Anuradhapura. A budget allocation of 100 million rupees has been designated for this project, which is being executed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation under the Clean Sri Lanka initiative. Through this effort, Sri Lanka’s distinguished irrigation heritage will be preserved for the benefit of future generations.

The inauguration ceremony of this programme was held under the leadership of Hon. Atula Welgoda, Chairman of the Tissamaharama and Lunugamwehera Regional Coordinating Committee and Member of Parliament. The event was attended by Engineer Anjula Premaratne, Director (Environment) of the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat, Directors Dasun Wijesekera and Gihan Weerasundara, Mr. H.L. Jayasiri, Chairman of the Tissamaharama Pradeshiya Sabha, Mr. H.R.D.J. Premathunga, Director of Irrigation in Hambantota, Mr. Manoj Madhusanka Kodithuwakku, Assistant Divisional Secretary of Tissamaharama, Engineer K.T.D.D.P. Warnakulasuriya, Regional Irrigation Engineer of Tissamaharama, and other dignitaries.