Sampath Bank restoring Ambagaswewa (tank) to help farmers
View(s):Sampath Bank recently began the restoration of the Ambagaswewa in Kahatagasdigiliya under its “Wewata Jeewayak” programme.
Several officers of the Govi Samithiya, the Department of Agrarian Development and other government bodies attended the ceremonial inauguration of the project on July 20 along with officers and customers of Sampath Bank and members of the Kahatagasdigiliya community, according to a bank media release.
Beginning the renovation work
The bank has been rebuilding similar dilapidated irrigation tanks in the nation’s dry zones under this initiative. Improving the capacity of these tanks, Sampath Bank says it seeks to provide farmers in the area with continuous supply of water for their paddy fields, enabling them to cultivate during both the Maha and Yala seasons. This would allow them to cultivate inter-crops that would serve as a source of secondary income, thereby uplifting their quality of life. It will also have a significant positive impact on the environment at large, especially on the animals and birds dependent on these tanks.
Commenting on this initiative, Lalith Weragoda, Head of Human Resources, Sampath Bank said “We (have) noticed that several farming communities in the country’s dry zones were unable to cultivate throughout the year due to the shortage of water for irrigation. Given that they depend largely on local tanks, we launched the Wewata Jeewayak initiative to rebuild these tanks and restore year round water supply to their fields. We look forward to working with the people of Kahatagasdigiliya on rebuilding the Ambagaswewa.”
Spread across 28 acres, the Ambagaswewa has a capacity of 90 acres feet and is the primary source of irrigation for about 40 acres of paddy field belonging to the 30 families involved in farming in Kahatagasdigiliya. The tank has become shallow due to the accumulation of sludge resulting from the lack of proper maintenance. Its retention capacity has fallen drastically due to damages in its bund and sluice and spill gates leading to wastage of water. The resulting water scarcity has restricted farmers in the area to cultivating in only one season per year, the release said.
During the next six months, the bank will work closely with local authorities and members of the Kahatagasdigiliya community to repair the Ambagaswewa’s bund and its sluice and spill gates. They will also be renovating the bathing area used by the villagers.
The bank said it has increased its existing CSR initiatives and launched several new programmes as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations. The bank will be engaging over 10,000 students sitting for the Grade 5 scholarship exams this year through its renowned “Pahe Shishyathwa” seminar series. “The Sampath Pasal project is empowering underprivileged schools around the country while the Sampath Green Inventor campaign is nurturing the next generation of green inventors and green entrepreneurs,” the bank said.