|
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Ceylon can be divided in to a Dry Zone and a Wet Zone
by a line following approximately the 75 inch isohyets.
The wet Zone corresponds roughly to the southwest quadrant,
which covers about 30 percent of the Island’s
area. However this area contains more than three quarters
of the total population of Ceylon. It will be noted
from Figure I that the population. Of the Ceylon has
risen very sharply from around 1945 and the density
in the wet Zone has in fact reached a figure of around
1,200 people per squire mile. This situation as brought
clearly in to focus the necessity to develop agricultural
production in the dry Zone.
As agricultural in the Dry Zone is almost entirely dependent
upon irrigation, its development is virtually impossible
without securing an assured water supply. To this end
the Government initiated several investigations of the
area. Among then were those of the United States Operations
Mission (1958-61) and the Canadian Hunting survey Corporation
(1961-62) which together with the Irrigation and Survey
Department of the Ministry of Land, Irrigation and power,
examined the water resources of the Mahaweli Ganga and
possibility of and Irrigation and hydropower development
scheme. Mission of the international Bank for Reconstruction
and Development visited the area in 1961 and reported
that the Development proposed for a multi-purpose scheme
to meet Ceylon’s economic needs was promising.
1.2
Initiation of present project
In 1961 the Government of Ceylon requested assistants
from the special Fund of the United Nation to survey
the Mahaweli Ganga Basin and the Dry Zone areas in the
North and Central Provinces. The request was approved
by the Governing Council of the Special fund in June,
1964. The plan of Operation was drawn up and signed
on 12 October, 1964 on behalf of the Government of Ceylon.
The United Nation Special Fund and the food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations acting as Executing
Agency was the Ministry of Land, Irrigation and power.
The UNDP allocated US $ 1,146,000 to cover the cost
specialist personnel, contractual services, fellowships
and equipment. The Government contribution in kind was
estimated at US $ 837,000.
1.3
Purpose of the Project
The
Project was designed to achieve the following objectives
To
provide basic information on the land and water resources
of the Mahaweli Ganga Basin and the Dry Zone areas of
the North Central Provinces;
To
Provide and overall water management plan with a view
to the effective use of water for irrigation and power
generation.
To
provide technical plans, Preliminary design of work,
cost estimates, priorities, phasing and financing needed
for implementation of the plan.
1.4
Execution of the Project
The
project became operational on 27 October, 1964 and field
work was concluded in May. 1968. This was fallowed by
a UNDP FAO Mission to investigate and report upon Organisational
and Management Requirements, from 15 June to 25 July.
The
Survey was carried out over a period of the three years
in two stages. The field investigation of the first
stage, carried out between March, 1965 and February,
1967 comprised mainly a reconnaissance of the centre
project area. The principal aim was to work out and
outline for a Master Plan for full development of the
water resources for irrigation and hydropower.
1
Assistance to the project was provided by the United
Nations Special Fund until 1 January. 1966. On that
date the special fun and the expended Programmes of
Technical assistance were merged in to the United Nation
Development Programmes, which continued to provide assistance
to the project.
The second stage of the survey was carried out between
February, 1967 and May 1968.During the period, all the
three phases of development for the entire scheme were
identified. Additional investigations were made of the
areas selected, .for three projects to be included in
the first phase of development and detailed designs
were prepared.
The
effect of the project on the social and economics structure
of the country was also considered and analyzed in some
details. For example problems of settlement, of maintenance
and operation of the project works, and of the development
of a sound agriculture programmes based on the optimum
use of irrigation. Facilities were considered. In addition,
cropping patterns and farming practices and methods
for the improvement of existing cultivation were studied
and workable cropping patterns were devised for the
new areas.
1.5
Documentation
The detail of the three years survey, which was completed
in the two stages mentioned above, appears in an ad
hoc report (Document No. FAO/SF.CEY 7) published in
April, 1968.
The final Report consist of Volume 1 – General
Report, which summaries the work of the project, and
its findings and recommendations; Volume II is a feasibility
Report which is the basic document for the final designs
of the projects included in the first phase of proposed
development; Volume III comprises the report of the
Mission which investigated the organizational and Management
Requirements.
Technical reports by specialists in each discipline
of the survey have also been produced for transmittal
to the Governments.
|
