The Hon. M.A.M. Thahir

¶ 01 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

¶ 02 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, I am pleased to speak in the debate on the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation because the region I represent is directly connected to the core functions of this Ministry. I have, on many occasions in this House, raised issues affecting my area, particularly in the Ampara District, which contributes nearly one-fourth of the country’s paddy production using water provided by the Gal Oya scheme. This project, initiated in 1949 and completed in 1953, has been immensely beneficial to the farmers there. However, due to major floods and other disasters during certain periods, our farmers have suffered considerably. From the inception of this Parliament we have all had to face such challenges.

¶ 03 The Senanayake Samudraya, one of the country’s major reservoirs, provides irrigation to 120,000 acres. Yet, since the completion of that project in 1953, no significant development work has been undertaken on it. Under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Government in 2014, projects like Rambukkan Oya were initiated to benefit areas such as Maha Oya and Padiyathalawa in the Ampara District, and several developments took place. But the older Senanayake Samudraya has seen no improvements. At times, when the reservoir level is too high, gates have to be opened urgently, creating dangerous situations. Therefore, I expect the Ministry to deepen the reservoir to increase its storage capacity.

¶ 04 This single reservoir meets around 15 per cent of the country’s agricultural water need. Because adequate protection and upgrading have not been carried out, the people in the area have suffered major losses over the last decade. Often, water is released and then a dry spell follows, ruining cultivation. Conversely, fearing a future shortage, water is conserved only for floods to occur, again damaging crops. Such alternating flood and drought impacts persist.

¶ 05 Funds have now been allocated to rehabilitate damaged bunds, canals and roads affected by floods. However, in the Ampara District the preparation of technical evaluation reports has been delayed, reportedly due to ongoing staff strikes. I urge the Hon. Minister to ensure these assessments are completed promptly so that rehabilitation work can begin before the next cultivation season.

¶ 06 There are many minor tanks in our region—especially in Pottuvil, Thirukkovil, Panama and Pannam—whose rehabilitation would allow currently single-crop lands to cultivate two seasons. This would help address rice and other grain shortages nationally and reduce imports. We therefore need stronger focus on this.

¶ 07 The proposed “Clan Oya” irrigation project is a long-term plan. In 2017, Cabinet approval was granted for a US$ 68 million project. Despite opportunities to commence, it has not started to date. Farmers and people who voted in good faith expect the Government to build the nation through proper agricultural development. This project must be implemented to realize those expectations. In Pottuvil-Monaragala, only about 1,250 acres are presently cultivated; with this project, 5,000 acres could be farmed, and the chronic drinking water problem in Pottuvil could also be addressed.

¶ 08 There are 29 Agrarian Service Centres in our area: 17 serving Tamil-speaking communities and 12 in Sinhala-majority areas. In the 17 Tamil-language centres, only Tamil-speaking officers can serve the public. Of the officers there, four are Grade I officers, and one is due to retire next month. Fourteen centres have vacancies; three officers are struggling to cover multiple centres. How can these centres properly serve the farmers under them? I urge the Ministry to take this up and fill these vacancies promptly, including the 71 Agricultural Research and Production Assistant posts now vacant. Without such officers, who will guide and advise farmers to increase production and reduce imports?

¶ 09 By interconnecting water bodies we can improve water management and bring fallow lands under cultivation. A Member here mentioned arrangements to cultivate maize and other crops in his area. In Ampara, apart from paddy, we hardly see diversification. Yet with tank rehabilitation and irrigation improvements, farmers could do two or even three seasons, including inter-season crops like maize and green gram. Why can’t we create opportunities for triple cropping where feasible, in a country surrounded by water on three sides, even as rainwater flows to the sea? We must devise alternative schemes to enable two seasons where one exists, three where two exist, and inter-season cropping where possible.

¶ 10 For 76 years you have governed, and based on the people’s trust you have been given overwhelming parliamentary authority. The people now ask: you blamed past politics—what are you going to do differently?

¶ 11 I am from a farming family. Farmers worry in heat and in rain alike, for rain and sunshine seldom come as needed. The joy they get—stacking home the paddy they have grown, bag by bag—is the true fruit of their labour. But they face countless hardships even to bring the harvest home. We must find concrete plans to raise productivity if we are to rebuild this country. You pay great attention to counting monkeys and pets; why not identify and resolve the real agricultural problems?

¶ 12 Compared to other regions, Ampara excels in agriculture, fisheries and education. Yet of late, it appears the Eastern Province is being sidelined. Is this ethnic marginalization? The East is home to all three communities—Muslims, Tamils and Sinhalese—with a Muslim plurality in some areas. Why neglect the East? In future, do not impose such discriminatory allocations. Please allocate more funds to the Eastern Province, particularly Ampara. While you count monkeys and pet animals, kindly heed what Members here say and identify the country’s resources to increase production.

¶ 13 Generally, only three to four months of the year see active cultivation; most lands lie idle for the rest. The Government needs to introduce programmes to utilize lands off-season. We see extensive politicization—surveying roads house by house under so-called rural development—rather than mobilizing these cadres to identify resources. Abandon such partisan approaches. Instead of measuring lanes for votes, identify broken tanks, ponds and canals, prioritize their rehabilitation, and we will extend 100 per cent cooperation—even if the work is difficult. The Clean Sri Lanka initiative first began in Nintavur Pradeshiya Sabha with the support of Hon. Athaullah and myself. We stand ready to cooperate on all good programmes.

¶ 14 We came to Parliament not to oppose everything as the Opposition but to support good measures that serve the people and our communities.

¶ 15 One lingering doubt: most of the fertile farmlands around Senanayake Samudraya abut Muslim-majority areas. Is the neglect of repairing breached structures and bunds a design to weaken the Muslim community economically? This has created deep suspicions among our people, including our educated youth.