The first workshop of the workshop series titled “Hydrological Studies Using Software Applications” was recently conducted at the Irrigation Training Institute, Galgamuwa, for engineering and technical staff of the Department of Agrarian Development, Department of Irrigation, and the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP – NWP). The programme was organized by the Design Cell of CSIAP with the aim of strengthening technical capacity in the irrigation sector in the North Western Province.
Establishment of the Design Cell at the PMU
The Design Cell was designed and established at the
Project Management Unit (PMU) in 2021 by the
Mr. S. Manoharan, Task Team
Leader (TTL) for the CSIAP and it constitutes of Eng. Randika Gunarathna, Eng.
Osanda Samarakoon and Eng. Sumudu Ekanayake..These
Engineers were trained by the Mr. Manoharan and Dr. Dinesh Kumar Manhachery ,Hydrologist and
Consultants of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United
and the World Bank.
 |
| Mr. Manoharan and Dr. Manhachery |
The establishment of the Design Cell at the PMU was a strategic step toward strengthening technical rigor and sustainability in cascade-level planning. By building the capacity of a dedicated team of engineers and introducing systematic water accounting approaches, Mr. Manoharan aimed to create a strong foundation for evidence-based decision-making. Training given to the Design Cell engineers by both Mr. Manoharan and Dr. Manhachery was focused on equipping them with practical tools and analytical approaches for water accounting and landscape-level planning. This Design Cell has completed water accounting in 15 cascades and initiated establishing such a cell at DAD for future work.
Enhancing Skills Through Applied Software Training
The primary objective of the workshop was to equip Sri
Lankan engineers with practical knowledge and skills in the use of software
applications related to hydrological studies. The programme also focused on
transferring the technical expertise gained by the CSIAP Design Cell to
implementing agencies and other authorities involved in irrigation planning and
management.
Structured Programme with Expert Guidance
The workshop was conducted in two sessions, each
lasting one week. It was initiated under the guidance of Eng. R.M.B.
Rajakaruna, Project Director, CSIAP, and technically guided by Senior
Engineering Consultant Eng. H.G.M. Kulasinghe. Project Engineering Consultants
Eng. R.M.H.N. Bandara and Eng. P.H.S. Rangika contributed as resource persons,
sharing their expertise and practical experience with participants.
Effective Coordination and Collaboration
The programme was coordinated by Mr. W.M.S.
Wijesinghe, Deputy Project Director of CSIAP (North Western Province), ensuring
smooth implementation and effective collaboration among participating
institutions.
