The Hon. Dilip Wedaarachchi

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, thank you for eight minutes to raise several district issues. First, I express condolences to those who lost lives in the disaster areas and pray this subsides.

¶ 02 The Agriculture Ministry itself faced turmoil recently—potato and onion farmers took to the streets to protect their rights; matters were being stabilized when now floods have submerged all farmlands and destroyed canals and bunds. Please ensure prompt relief and support for affected paddy lands.

¶ 03 Two specific matters in our district: In Ambalantota—Liyanagastota and Punchi Heneyagama GN areas—234 families have lived for over 70 years, some over two generations, with houses, carpeted roads, electricity, and water. Now actions are underway to remove them. Previously, demarcations observed the reservoir 66-foot contour, but new surveys by the Irrigation Department exceed that limit, forcing removals. All families have petitioned you. Please intervene to resolve in favour of residents. I will hand over the petition.

¶ 04 Next, coconut: about 5,000 coconut trees in Matara area have been afflicted by a disease and are dying; officers say the trees will die. What is the cause? Please act to save them. Similar issues exist in Hambantota.

¶ 05 On dairy: you have invested to develop dairy in Hambantota, but “Ruhuna milk” is disappearing because there is no pasture locally; farmers keep cattle in Monaragala, Walawe, Maduru Oya areas. Now orders have been issued to remove cattle from Maduru Oya and Ma Oya areas; with nowhere to take them, farmers are slaughtering or selling them. Please allocate, beyond the 500 acres already set aside in Kadawara Kele, an additional 5,000 acres on the upper bank of the Lunugamwehera reservoir (on the Monaragala–Hambantota boundary) for pasture. Within about a year, it can be developed, keeping Hambantota cattle within Hambantota and preserving the “Ruhuna milk” identity.

¶ 06 Also, the Lunugamwehera canals now need full rehabilitation; please commence works. Support all irrigation and agricultural activities for our district’s farmers. Thank you.