Sampath Bank Commences Restoration of 10th Tank Under Its ‘Wewata Jeewayak’ Programme

Sampath Bank last week embarked on its tenth village tank restoration project at Athawetuna Wewa in Divulwewa, Anamaduwa under its flagship community outreach initiative, Wewata Jeewayak, recently, the bank announced.

“This is yet another timely initiative by the Bank to support the nation and empower its farming communities to overcome the challenges brought about by the global COVID-19 pandemic and rebuild their lives,” a news release issued in this connection said.

The 20-acre Athawetuna Wewa is the primary source of irrigation for over 60 acres of paddy fields. It also plays a key role in animal husbandry and other livelihood development activities in the Divulwewa and neighbouring villages, serving over 500 people.

“With no major maintenance work carried out for over 20 years, the tank’s bund has suffered considerable damage and it has become shallow due to the accumulation of sludge. Its irrigation canal, sluice gates and spill too are in need of repairs. The current dilapidated state of the tank has limited paddy cultivation in the area to one season alone, thereby affecting the livelihoods of the entire community,” a bank news release said.

It said Sampath Bank will be working together with the Perakum Farmers Association (Perakum Govi Sanvidanaya); the Department of Agrarian Development, Puttalam District Office, Chilaw; and members of the local community to renovate the tank completely.

Rituals were conducted to invoke blessings on the project and the community before members of the Farmers Association commenced work on it.

The other nine tanks restored under this project are: Udamaththala Wewa in Lunugamwehera (2001), Ilukpelassa Wewa in Thanamalwila (2002), Konketiara Wewa in Hambantota (2002), Dematawa Wewa in Panduwasnuwara (2014), Halmillakulama Wewa in Nochchiyagama (2017), Ambagaha Wewa in Kahatagasdigiliya (2018), Dhanyawa Wewa in Divulankadawala (2018), Nelawagama Wewa in Nochchiyagama (2020), and Kindagalla Wewa in Bibile (2020), under the programme.