‘River for Jaffna’ project to address water problem in north

President Ranil Wickremesinghe declared the immediate initiation of the “River for Jaffna” project, designed to provide a comprehensive solution to the water scarcity issues in the northern region of Sri Lanka.

The President made the remarks while attending the Thalaiyady Seawater Desalination Plant opening, part of the Jaffna-Kilinochchi Water Supply Project, this morning (02).

President Ranil Wickremesinghe further stated that it has been 15 years since the end of the civil war in the north. He emphasized the need for everyone to continue working together on development and expressed his goal to transform the north into a developed province within the next 5-10 years.

The Thalaiyady Sea Water Desalination Plant, part of the Jaffna-Kilinochchi Water Supply Project, is managed by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board under the Ministry of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development, with financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Sri Lanka.

To address the drinking water needs of Jaffna and Kilinochchi, the Government of Sri Lanka launched the Jaffna-Kilinochchi District Water Supply and Sanitation Project (JKWSSP) in 2011 with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the French Development Bank (AFD).