Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-12-13

Improvement of the Kelani River Flood Protection Bunds

- The Kelani River is one of the major rivers in Sri Lanka and a 2/3 area of its basin consists of low lands including the Colombo City and the suburbs in an around it, which get flooded frequently. During the floods in May 2016, it was observed that there are weak sections in the bunds erected under the scheme designed for the protection of the Colombo City and the Kelaniya Town, from river flooding. The major reason for the vulnerability of flood protection trends are public encroachments. With the objective of renovating the existing major bunds, the proposal made by Hon. Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa, the Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management, to implement a project for the development of the flood protection bunds of the Kelani River, at an estimated cost of Rs.1,000 Million, was approved by the Cabinet.