The Hon. Sundaralingam Pradeep - Deputy Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure
Provided details on drinking water projects in Badulla District estates, noting that only about 10 per cent of estates and surrounding households have access to safe drinking water despite existing natural and scheme-based sources. He reported 103 projects implemented from 2004 to 2024 at an approximate total cost of Rs. 209.1 million, including Government/Plantation Human Development Trust and NWSDB/WASSIP projects, and confirmed completion and full funding release for the Punagala LLG Kepkade housing scheme water project. In response to supplementary questions, he said older UNICEF-era schemes had deteriorated due to poor design and ageing pipelines, announced future estate water projects across several districts, and undertook to conduct and submit an audit on the Punagala scheme.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Estates in Badulla District: Drinking Water Projects [Q. 505/2025]
¶ 02 On behalf of the Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, I answer:
¶ 03 (a) (i) Yes. Although many estates and surrounding households have natural water sources or receive water from public or private schemes, only about 10% have access to safe and clean drinking water. (ii) According to our data, the number of drinking water projects implemented in estates in Badulla District from 2004 to 2024 is as follows: - Projects with Government funding and by the Plantation Human Development Trust: 94 - Projects by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board and the Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project: 42 - Total: 103 (iii) Project-wise costs are annexed. The approximate total cost for government-funded water projects is Rs. 209,125,085.32. Given the large number and duration, current status of each without a separate review is difficult. Summary: - Ministry-facilitated projects in Badulla (2004–2022): annual counts with cumulative spend (e.g., 2004: 26 projects; total across years Rs. 76,143,205.43, etc.). - NWSDB/WASSIP projects (selected years incl. 2021, 2024): total Rs. 132,981,879.89. - Overall total: 103 projects; Rs. 209,125,085.32.
¶ 04 (b) (i) The Punagala LLG, Kepkade new housing scheme water project, funded by Government with beneficiary labour, was completed per estimates on 20 September 2020. (ii) Total spent: Rs. 1,017,677.60 (Rs. 978,536.15 on works; Rs. 39,141.45 on management). (iii) Yes, the full amount has been released.
¶ 05 (c) Not applicable.
¶ 06 Supplementary
¶ 07 On legacy UNICEF (1987) estate water schemes now deteriorated: Earlier, schemes were not properly designed; the UNICEF initiative was implemented in several areas but, over long years, pipelines have deteriorated. Going forward, through the Ministry, we will undertake drinking water projects in estate areas of Badulla, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, Galle, Kegalle, Monaragala, Matara, etc.
¶ 08 On Punagala scheme service quality: An audit on the project will be undertaken and the report submitted to this House.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Tuesday, 18 March 2025 ·No. 1745915246032615 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. Sundaralingam Pradeep - Deputy Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 18 March 2025. No. 1745915246032615. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/8473