A day after the violence during the protest against supply of water from Markandaiah tank, the work on the project is being continued with police protection, from Tuesday. Meanwhile, a tenuous peace prevails in Budikote where the incident occurred.

A sum of Rs 15 crore has been sanctioned for desiltation of tanks in the taluk, said MLA K M Krishnamurthy.

Talking to reporters after launching disiltation works of Tangali tank near here on Monday, he said the amount has been sanctioned from different sources.

Sri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) has chalked out a plan to rejuvenate the polluted tanks in the district under

Paddy cultivators in Trincomalee, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa has been left in the lurch owing to sudden decline of water levels in reservoirs, JVP MP S. K. Subasinghe said yesterday.

He said that the ill-effects of the economic crisis were not felt drastically, thanks to the strong contribution made by the agriculture sector. "If agriculture fails we would end up in a big crisis."

HNB extended the safe drinking water and sanitation project to Gonewa, a village in the Rambewa Divisional Secretariat, about 22 kms from Anuradhapura. The villagers in Gonewa lacked sufficient sanitation facilities and access to fresh water prior to the launch of this project, a media release said.