Sri Lanka government to amend Irrigation Ordinance

(January 13, 2011) Sri Lanka Minister of Irrigation and Water Management Nimal Siripala de Silva says that the Irrigation Ordinance will be soon amended to enable to cope with the current and future needs.

A committee had been appointed to amend the Act and the amendments to the Ordinancet would be tabled in the parliament within the first quarter of the year, the Minister stated.

The Minister points out that the Ordinance has many inadequacies since for the 64 years since 1946, it has not undergone major amendments sans several slight amendments.

The committee appointed to amend the Ordinance has focussed to safety of the irrigation systems, protection of catchment areas, removal of squatters from catchment areas and prevention of water pollution.

He also said that public consultation would also be held in regard of amending the Irrigation Ordinance.

Posted in Irrigation Ordinance , water management