Mahaweli Authority Urges To Conserve Water Amid El Niño

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Mahaweli Authority has made a special request to farmers to use rainwater as much as possible when preparing paddy fields for the Maha season, amid the prevailing El Niño conditions.

Director General of the Mahaweli Authority H. M. J. K. Herath urged farmers to manage water resources carefully and use irrigation water only for sowing purposes.

Meanwhile, the Mahaweli Authority has issued the water release schedule for the 2026/2027 Maha season.

Water releases began on October 1 and will be carried out in stages to 55 Mahaweli schemes until November 14.

A total of 227,283 hectares of paddy and other cultivated land are covered by the Mahaweli schemes.