- Polgolla tunnel and intake, one of the key trans-basin conveyances of Mahaweli System was commissioned in 1976 to divert Mahaweli water to the North Central Province. This tunnel has been last inspected in 1986 and has been in operation for more than 20 years without any inspection. Similarly, new Laxapana Power Tunnel has not been inspected since its commission in 1975. Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management, informed the Cabinet that his Ministry has taken action to close Polgolla and New Laxapana Tunnel temporarily for two weeks during the month of January 2014 to inspect the tunnels in order to avoid any disastrous situation that may arise due to any delay in attending to structural damages, if any, of these tunnels, and also taken steps to mitigate economic and social impact of the closure.