The System L covers a gross area of 163.393 hectares and situated in relation to the North and the East of Sri Lanka. It includes the older Padaviya Scheme, the Welioya Programme and other undeveloped areas which have pockets of settlements around village tanks. A far greater number of ancient village tanks built upon the cascade principle remain buried in jungle.

The project area is characteristics of the typical dry zone and it receives rainfall during the North-east monsoon period (October-January). The principal stream which virtually bisects System L is called Ma-Oya. According to information on land use, a large number of non-operational small reservoirs are in existence, on the left bank of Ma-Oya. The Padaviya reservoir is built across the major tributary of Ma-Oya, and it is meant to command the irrigable area on the right bank of Ma-Oya.

The project area within the boundaries of System L is among the thirteen independent development areas identifies in the UNDP/FAO Master Plan of the Mahaweli Development Programme.

The project has been divided into nine Zones. The boundaries of these zones are more or less natural. Accordingly, there are seven Zones from 1-7 on the left bank, while the 8 & 9 are on the Right bank of Ma Oya under the command of Padaviya reservoir.

The Project Area can be specified as ‘Weli Oya’ or zone -2 and zone -5 together on the left bank of Ma Oya

System L covers a gross area of 163.393 ha. including the Padaviya scheme, the Weli Oya and other undeveloped areas. Weli Oya project covers only Zones 2, 4 and 5. At present, around 2800 settler families are resident in these 3 zones, and these settler families have been inducted in to Weli Oya after 1983.
(Source: Action plan 1991 by MECCA)

The Weli Oya section of System L, which falls into the 4 administrative districts of Mullativu, Trincomalee, Anuradhapura and Vavunia. The feasibility study reefers the newer Weli Oya settlements lying north of Padaviya scheme, above Ma-Oya. It was handed over to the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka by the Land Commissioner’s Dept. of the Ministry of Lands and Land Development The MASL took over the Weli Oya settlements and the area was designated as a “Special Area” in March 1988 for management and development.

Construction activities of Welioya, were handed over to the MECA of MASL in 1990. Balance works on bund construction of 13 tanks, rehabilitated under the project and the canal network have been completed by MECA. In addition, 3 new Anicuts and 6 Tanks have also been constructed. But due to the constant terrorist destruction, construction and development activities of Knwewa, Kambiliyawewa ad Veeherawewa were abandoned and consequently settlers have deserted.