Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-05-02

The Pilot Project for the establishment of a Ground Water Monitoring Network in three selected Districts

- As a result of the significant increase in the use of ground water it has become essential for the proper management of the ground water due to the opportunities available for causing the water resources to be endangered and pouted in Sri Lanka. For this purpose, it is essential to have timely data on the quality and the quantity of the ground water level and in this respect the Cabinet has granted approval for the implementation of a pilot project for the establishment of an effective ground water monitoring network covering three selected districts. Under this pilot project a ground water monitoring system will be established in three river basins covering three selected districts of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Monaragala where the chronic kidney disease is spread due to the ground water contamination. The estimated cost of this project is Euro 20.36 million and the Rabo Bank of the Netherlands has expressed its willingness to provide 85% of the total estimated sum. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Ranil Wickramasinghe, the Prime Minister, in his capacity as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, to enter into an Agreement with the Rabo Bank of Netherlands to obtain the above loan amount was approved by the Cabinet.