A new era will dawn in a part of the Hambantota district with the completion of the Kekiri Obada and Weheragala reservoir projects. On completion of this project 5,000 farmer families will be benefitted and 5,611 hectares could be irrigated. The Weheragala reservoir was built by constructing a dam across Menik Ganga. Four thousand one hundred hectares of land could he brought under paddy cultivation and drinking water supplied to the people in some areas of Hambantota. Kataragama area will also be benefitted as these reservoirs could supply water to pilgrims during the festive season. The Weheragala reservoir has a capacity of 75 million cubic litres of water, irrigation sources said. Out of this, 60 million cubic litres will be released to the Lunugamwehera reservoir. The Kehenobada reservoir project in Walasmulla DS area is now nearing completion. The capacity will be 30 million cubic feet. One thousand five hundred hectares of paddy can be cultivated using the water of this reservoir. The entire project is estimated to cost Rs. 273 million.