It is reported that the commencement of excavation activities in the area under the reservoir of the Kumbukkan Oya in Monaragala, which has been identified as containing gems worth about ten billion rupees, will be further delayed. The approval of the Irrigation Department is essential for excavation in that area, and it is reported that the department has not yet given its consent.
The presence of gems in this area was discovered through a project carried out in 2021 at a cost of only seven hundred and fifty thousand rupees. About six hundred carats of gems were found that year. Potential sites where gems can be extracted with minimal impact have also been identified.
However, the authority had to stop the excavation activities due to the lack of consent from the Irrigation Department. Sources from the National Audit Office say that permission for mining has been requested for the second time due to the discovery of gems worth about ten billion rupees in the area, but it has not been received so far.
Although the Irrigation Department did not agree to the authority’s request, it is reported that large-scale unauthorized mining has been taking place in the area since that time.