News In Brief

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 January 1999, 13:03 GMT]
The Iranimadu reservoir water level rises too high and Jaffna officials report a decline in the number of displaced people returning there.

Reservoir level rises

Irrigation officials of Vavunikulam Irrigation Division have banned the transport of heavy vehicles along the Tank bund of Vavunikulam reservoir as the water level has rose to 22 feet 9 inches.

Officials have requested the urgent assistance of the public to collect polyethylene gunny bags to stack sandbags to prevent the bund from slipping inside the tank.

Irrigation officials in the Vanni said that the water level had risen to 30 feet 9 inches.

Vavunikulam, a major reservoir in the Vanni is spilling over and steps are underway to control the incoming additional water to the reservoirs to prevent flood destruction they said.

They have appealed to farmers using the Vavunikulam reservoir for their fields to donate two sandbags each.

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Decline in Jaffna arrivals

The number of displaced persons returning to the Jaffna Peninsula from the areas not controlled by Sri Lankan Government troops have dropped recently said officials at the Jaffna Katchcheri.

They said that while 552 persons returned to the peninsula in October, 166 came in November and only 73 arrived in December.

Sources in Jaffna said the security situation in the peninsula, restrictions in travelling in the Jaffna lagoon and bad weather could be possible reason.