The Minister in a document tabled in response to a question raised by UNP National List MP Tissa Attanayake said that a project had been implemented to remove sands from the estuary in Chilaw annually to enable the fisher folk to launch their boats and crafts.

The Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation had spent Rs 1.8 million to use dredgers to remove sands filled naturally in the Chilaw estuary, the document said.

It said: The estuary is filled naturally with sands during the period of ‘Warakan’ (Rough seas), from May to October every year. This would inconvenience around 1,150 boats of fisher folk to engage in their livelihood. They had to use an alternative estuary called Karakupane Moya about 3 km from Chilaw. This situation had been properly investigated by an ADB-funded study conducted in 1998. The study concluded that a permanent breakwater made of stones off the estuary to block waves would not be the solution. The solution that had been identified by the study was to dredge and remove sands annually.

Special Reporter