Fresh water Fishing and agriculture affected by marine plants spreading in Vannerikulam

Farmers engaged in cultivation under Vannerikulam in Kilinochchi District have complained that due to the new type of marine plant spreading in Vannerikulam the water level had gone down and requested that these plants be removed from the Tank.

More than 100 farmers are engaged in Maha and Yala seasons in agriculture under the Vannerikulam which one of the largest irrigation tanks  of Kilinochchi District. Yala cultivation is to be undertaken in 183 acre land. Thus two seasons of cultivation is undertaken under this Tank and the Fresh Water fishermen are solely dependent on this tank for their livelihood.

In this context, as a  new type of marine plant is spreading in the catchment area of the Tank, the water level had dropped. Further, Fresh water fishermen had complained that their fresh water fishing is completely affected because of the spreading of these plants.