The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam
Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam questioned delays in providing drinking water, arguing that interim pipeline interconnections are needed before the dry season rather than waiting for new tanks and capacity upgrades. He asked how many kilometres of pipeline are currently available and can be laid immediately, citing reports that pipes previously sent from Ambanthottai to Batticaloa were returned. He also raised concerns over imported hydrated lime used for water purification, asking whether reported chromium levels above permissible limits were accurate, whether the stock had been distributed, why testing was done privately, and whether drinking water was currently safe.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 My first supplementary: This is a long-standing UN SDG-related essential service. The reply mirrors what we have received for a decade. People cannot wait for new tanks and capacity enhancements; interim supply via interconnections is needed now. Pipelines sent earlier (from Ambanthottai to Batticaloa) were reportedly turned back. How many kilometres of pipeline are presently available, and how many kilometres can you immediately lay to supply drinking water ahead of the dry season?
¶ 02 Secondly, there is a serious concern regarding hydrated lime imported for water purification. Reports indicate chromium levels (~14 mg/kg) exceeding permissible limits. Is this stock still in warehouses or already distributed? Is the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) report accurate? Why were tests done privately instead of through the NWSDB–University of Peradeniya Joint Research and Demonstration Centre? Is the drinking water safe today?
Provenance
- Source
- Hansard, Friday, 7 February 2025 ·No. 1739786070060795 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 7 February 2025. No. 1739786070060795. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/22982