Aug 17, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) says the government has decided to launch a sea plane project on large agricultural reservoirs that are under the Mahaweli scheme.

JVP parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the Cabinet of Ministers on June 29th this year had approved a proposal to launch a sea plane project in the Mahaweli reservoirs.

He noted that 17 reservoirs have been identified under the first phase of the project.

Dissanayake claimed that SLFP General Secretary, Minister Maithripala Sirisena had to apologize to the JVP for saying the party was lying when it said the government was trying to land sea planes in reservoirs that are used to irrigate agricultural lands.

According to Dissanayake, in the first year a sea plane has to make a payment of Rs. 500 for each landing and the amount is increased to Rs. 1,000 the following year.

He added that the government is to also commence a project of tourist boat rides in these reservoirs.

"All these programmes would result in a decline in the water output for agricultural purposes," Dissanayake said.