PARLIAMENT

Attention directed towards drinking water issue suffered by people of Avissawella for 29 years - People allege that the reason is unauthorized gem mining

The Committee on Ways and Means of Parliament met on 20.06.2024 under the Chairmanship of Member of Parliament Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka, at the Parliament premises.

Whilst the Budget 2024 report prepared by the Verité Research Institute was taken up for discussion here, the representatives of the said institute made an introduction regarding their report to the Committee on Ways and Means. By providing a background on the objectives of the report and the budgeting process in Sri Lanka, attention was drawn to the various shortcomings in the 2024 budget. The report states that since 1991, Sri Lanka's failure to meet budget targets has continuously increased the budget deficit. Furthermore, this report presented data on the revenue targeted by the 2023 budget, the revenue collected as well as the revenue expected to be collected through the increase in tax rates for the year 2024.

The Chair of the Committee requested the representatives of Verité Research Institute to calculate whether the expected revenue from the Value Added Tax is a realistic value. Moreover, he requested that a report be submitted on the impact of inflation on government revenue during the period 2022 – 2024 to the Committee on Ways and Means Committee.

In addition, a request was made to provide a research report related to the property tax proposed by the government to the Committee on Ways and Means. The Committee's next focus was on a petition submitted by five petitioners living in the Avissawella area. Accordingly, attention was paid to check the supply of drinking water mixed with mud by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board.

Accordingly, the Avissawella center of the National Water Supply Board revealed that the drinking water provided to the people of Avissawella and Talduwa for about 29 years is in a very feculent condition, and it was revealed that about 33,000 people in 8752 water connections are affected by this.

The National Water Supply and Drainage Board stated that this situation has developed due to the damage to the water treatment system due to the unauthorized and irregular dredging of the Sitawaka river. The Chair of the Committee inquired whether a formal investigation was conducted and a complaint was made to the Gem and Jewelery Authority regarding this situation, and the Water Supply and Drainage Board stated that although complaints were made to the Gems and Jewelery Authority, the Police and the Central Environment Authority in this regard, A proper solution was not found.

As the existing water treatment system is about 50 years old, a proposal for a new water treatment system (Rs. 1600 million) has been prepared as a solution, and it was also revealed that a tender call has not been made yet. It was also stated that it will take a long time of 2 years to complete the entire process. Furthermore, the petitioners pointed out that if it is possible to obtain water from the area 500 meters above the current water intake location, there will be a solution.

The Committee Chair, Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka instructed that the existing system will have to be shut down for about two weeks at the start of the two-year process, so that a temporary alternative for water supply should be found during that period. The Chair instructed to check the possibility of getting water supply connection from Kalatuwa area and to convene another meeting to discuss this matter on the 10th of the coming month for this purpose.

In addition, the Committee Chair informed the National Water Supply and Drainage Board to give a report regarding the approximate cost of the low-cost project that can be brought as an alternative to the proposed water treatment system, which is currently estimated at 1600 million rupees. It was also advised to submit a report regarding the determination (Time Line) before the Committee.