"Do not destroy the Agriculture sector" plead flood - struck Tamil farmers to President AKD

A deadly blow has been dealt to the livelihoods of thousands of people in Jaffna due to the relevant authorities’ failure to take steps to drain the rainwater accumulated as a result of heavy rainfall in the north. Over the past few weeks, rainy weather prevailed across Sri Lanka.

Regional correspondents report that in a context where the accumulated rainwater has not receded, tens of thousands of acres of cultivated land in the Varani area, located in the Thenmarachchi Divisional Secretariat area in Jaffna, have been destroyed.

Local authorities explain that if the dykes are opened to allow the accumulated rainwater to drain, it would lead to saltwater intrusion.

In this context, the residents of the Navatkadu village waded into the floodwater that has inundated their farmlands and staged a protest demanding that the government takes measures to protect their livelihood. They noted that around 40,000 acres of cultivated land in the Varani area have been flooded as the rainwater did not drain.

According to regional correspondents, around 4,000 families reside in several villages located in the Varani area, and most of these residents make a living by cultivating rice.

“Anura’s government (a reference to the government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake), open your eyes. Do not destroy the agriculture sector. Provide a way to maintain livelihood. Will farmers’ fate not change?,” a Navatnadu resident who was among the protesters said, adding that since the relevant authorities have refused to open the Thondamanaru embankment claiming that it may result in saltwater intrusion, their only option is to build a dam to prevent water from entering their land.

“If the water flow into the sea is blocked by not opening the Thondamanaru embankment, we will build a dam to prevent the water flowing from many villages in Thenmarachchi-East from entering the Varani area. There is no other option. The canal has been built in a manner that allows the water to flow into the sea through our land. But, now our livelihood has come to a halt because of stagnant water. In this context, our next step is to build the dam. We have no other option.”

Meanwhile, another villager expressed fear that thousands of affected villagers will have to beg for a livelihood in a context where they have lost their livelihood because rainwater has accumulated in their agricultural land and remains stagnant.

“Water never stagnates like this (in this area). The relevant officials take steps to open the dam when there is a slight stagnation. However, due to the heavy rains, water has accumulated up to the neck level. Officials say that the sea level is rising above the land level. The main livelihood of this area is agriculture. If this situation persists, we will have to beg for money.”

According to regional correspondents, the residents of the area allege that although an embankment has been built under the Thondamanaru bridge, the rainwater accumulated in farming land in the Varani area does not drain into the sea because the sluice gates have not been opened. However, the authorities in charge claim that the opening of the dam may result in seawater intrusion.