July 03, Colombo: According to the Irrigation Department of Sri Lanka farm lands in the country dependent on Mahaweli water are the worst affected by the drought.

Director General of the Irrigation Department, D. G. P. Godaliyedda has told the media that some reservoirs in the agricultural areas had water while the main irrigation schemes that get water from the Mahaweli system have dried up.

He has explained that the Giritale and Elahera schemes in Polonnaruwa and Kala Wewa in Anuradhapura have been hit by the drought.

He has observed that the main irrigation systems in the North Central Province are provided with water from the Mahaweli system during the drought season.

However, this time around, the delay in rains has affected the reservoirs in the hill country resulting in low water levels in the Mahaweli reservoirs as well.

According to Godaliyedda, some paddy cultivations in the North Central Province could be saved to an extent with strict water management.

He has said that strict management of water in the Kawudulla, Minneriya and Parakrama Samudraya reservoirs could help cultivations to an extent.

He has added that some tanks in the North Central Province still had low levels of water.