Ira'naimadu tank spills due to heavy rain

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 December 2010, 05:55 GMT]
Ira'naimadu irrigation tank in Ki'linochchi district, currently under control of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), has reached 28.6 inches above its spill level of 28 feet following one week continuous rain, sources in Vanni said. Due to efforts taken by the agricultural sector organizations in the district to ensure the safety of the tank, sluice gates had been opened on December 3 to release the excess water.

The Sri Lanka Army has refused permission to resettle the uprooted families and to do cultivation in their paddy fields in surrounding areas irrigated by the tank. The SLA cites reasons for refusal that their headquarters and airfield are located in Ira'naimadu area.

The farming community in the district has expressed fear that due to the failure of the maintenance of the tank after it was taken over by the SLA and that cultivation in the area will be adversely affected.

Recently SLA soldiers arrested five Tamil fishermen while they were going to fish in the tank.