The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe

¶ 01 Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.

¶ 02 Hon. Presiding Member, today we are debating a very important Ministry—covering agriculture, livestock and land. The previous Government failed to serve farmers and was removed. Therefore, I urge you to do what brings real benefits to our farmers and advance Sri Lanka’s agriculture.

¶ 03 Hon. Deputy Minister Namal Karunaratne said the Government has decided a guaranteed price for paddy, which we welcome. However, in the North and East—especially in Ampara—the Government decided the price only after 70–80% of the harvest was over. In future, Hon. Minister Lal Kantha and the Deputy Minister should ensure the guaranteed price is announced at the start of the harvesting period in Northern and Eastern districts including Ampara and Batticaloa.

¶ 04 Another matter: we are witnessing the dignity of this Parliament being compromised. This is painful. We now have a new administration; distinguished persons, academics, and those with long political experience, both in Government and the Opposition, sit here. Although there was communalism in the country in the past, Members then behaved carefully in the House. We must protect the dignity of this august Assembly. Please, do not allow Members to make racist remarks or speak disrespectfully about other Members or their families. We cannot collectively insult the 225 Members. I kindly request that you uphold decorum.

¶ 05 Regarding the guaranteed price, Hon. Minister, I am also a farmer. In Ampara, after harvesting was completed, about a month later, the Government fixed the minimum price. That caused losses. Next time, please announce the price before harvesting begins in the Eastern Province.

¶ 06 There are people in Ampara who sold paddy at lower prices than the announced minimum. After you announced the minimum price, only then did people in our villages gain a benefit. Farmers in Akkaraipattu, Kalmunai and Palamunai suffered losses. Next time, please announce the price before harvesting.

¶ 07 We also see more discussions on Muslim community issues in this House. An Hon. Minister called an Opposition Member a derogatory term; and the Opposition Member retaliated similarly. This is worrying—this was a Government promising a “system change.” Please raise this with the Hon. Speaker to ensure no one insults Members or their families, and to protect the respect and self-dignity of all 225 Members on both sides.

¶ 08 All communities suffered due to the thirty-year war—Tamils, Muslims, and also Sinhalese. In the North and East, our Muslim community, which did not support the war, suffered unfairly. We need not inflame communalism here. The new Government must foster unity among communities. Members should speak accordingly, or else our expectations will not be met.

¶ 09 I now raise irrigation matters. The Hon. District Coordinating Committee Chairman for Ampara, Hon. Wasantha Piyathissa, and the Deputy Minister are present. Under the previous Government, the large “Heda Oya” irrigation scheme for Ampara had its feasibility and cost estimates completed, and a Cabinet paper approved. Although the economy of Monaragala and Ampara depends on production, while the cropping intensity in Maha is high, in Yala it fluctuates from 0.2 to 0.5. To increase it to 1.0, please commence the Heda Oya scheme to uplift livelihoods in Siyambalanduwa, Lahugala and Pottuvil.

¶ 10 Hon. Wasantha Piyathissa and we have decided on this. MPs from Polonnaruwa also agreed to a special meeting with the Hon. Minister. Together with Ampara MPs, please start the Heda Oya scheme.

¶ 11 I am from Addalaichenai. Due to the Gal Oya project, about 8,500 high-yield paddy allotments in Akkaraipattu, Addalaichenai, Alayadivembu and Thirukkovil have been flooded for a long time. Under a special development project, please reclaim these lands. The World Bank has allocated an initial LKR 30 million to widen the drainage path to take floodwaters safely to sea, but for two years the Irrigation Department has not utilized these funds. In a meeting chaired by the Deputy Minister, local authorities and farmers said they would cooperate in providing necessary land. Without action, in Akkaraipattu, Addalaichenai, Alayadivembu and Thirukkovil, every flood harms people and damages fields. Please ensure the allocated funds are utilized.

¶ 12 Another urgent issue: the main canal from Deegavapi to Kalioadai (about 4 km) breaches annually, flooding 1,000–3,000 acres in Addalaichenai, Akkaraipattu, Nintavur, Thambiluvil and nearby areas. Temporary repairs are done each time at great cost; then floods come again, breaching it again. Please permanently rehabilitate this 4 km main canal—this is for the benefit of the farmer.

¶ 13 If the main canal at Nainakadu (commonly called “Hospitalchena”) in Sammanthurai breaches, thousands of acres are affected. When it breaks, everyone—including the Hon. Minister—must rush there. Water supply issues also arise in Sainthamaruthu, Kalmunai, Nintavur and Attapallam. If we comprehensively rehabilitate these two canals, the Government will gain—there will be no need to spend money every time. I say this on behalf of the people of Ampara.

¶ 14 In Pottuvil, for 30 years, lands cultivated by farmers were inaccessible due to the war. During President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s earlier tenure, many meetings were held promising to release these lands, but it did not happen. Particularly in Pottuvil—Amaivettuvan, Vekamam, Kachchikodi Island, Thukwel, Tharampalai, Kirankovai and other agricultural lands—are still not released. They were held back for political reasons. The new Government must make arrangements to release the lands to those who genuinely cultivated but were prevented from accessing them due to terrorism.

¶ 15 Similarly, the Vattamadu land issue remains unresolved. In Vattamadu, both Tamil and Muslim communities rear livestock and cultivate paddy. There has been a long-standing issue. Please hold discussions with both communities and find a solution acceptable to both. For instance, Muslims were earlier allowed to cultivate about 300 acres of their land, but now there is a reversal preventing agriculture. Please address this matter too. Thank you.