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ISLAND-WIDE CONSTRUCTION RAW MATERIAL SURVEY REPORT ON KANDY DISTRICT By A.A. Chinthaka Priyantha Geologist & S.B Harankahawa Trainee Geologist Report No MR/CRM/17/2018 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY & MINES BUREAU No. 569, Epitamulla Road Pitakotte July 2018 1 Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Construction Raw Material Survey for Kandy District 2 2. Objectives 3. Study Area 4 3.1 Location and Accessibility 4 3.2 Topography and Soil 6 3.3 Climate 7 3.4 Water Resources 8 3.5 Geology 9 3.6 Land Use and the Agriculture 10 4. Methodology 11 4.1 Preliminary Study 11 4.2 Field Investigation 11 4.3 Construction Raw Materials and Data Collection 12 5. Results and Discussion 13 5.1 Rock Exposures 13 5.2 River Sand and Inland Sand 19 5.3 Gravel and Soil Occurrences 23 6. Conclusions ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 27 7. Recommendations ……………………………………………………………………………………………29 Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………………………. 30 References ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….31 2 List of Annexes Annex 01: Resource Map of the Kandy District Annex 02: The Details of Identified Rock Quarries in Kandy District Annex 03: The Details of Identified Gravel and Soil Occurrences in Kandy District Annex 04: The Details of Identified Inland Sand and River Sand deposits in Kandy District List of Figures Figure 3.1- Map showing Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Kandy District 8 Figure 3.2- Major soil types in the Kandy District 9 Figure 3.3 - Topography around Kandy Area 11 Figure 3.4 Kandy District in the major climatic zones of Sri Lanka 13 Figure 3.5 Monthly rainfall variation in Kandy District 14 Figure 3.6 Simplified Geological Map of Sri Lanka showing boundary of Kandy District 16 Figure 3.7 Major land use types in Kandy District 13 List of Abbreviations DSD – District Secretariat Division GND – Grama Niladari Division IML A- Industrial Mining License A IML B- Industrial Mining License B 3 List of Plates Plate 01- A currently mining rock quarry which can be further developed, situates at Ulladupitiya Road at Aladeniya GND in Harispaththuwa DSD (CMS/KD/RC/039)………………..16 Plate 02- A New rock exposure observed in Kirimatiyawa GND of Pathahewaheta DSD which is capable of developing considering evacuation of residents and threat of flying rocks (CMS/KD/RC/101)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….16 Plate 03 – A new rock exposure observed at Palugama GND of Deltota DSD which can be developed considering evacuation of residents and threat of flying rocks to the road (CMS/KD/RC/104)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….17 Plate 04 – A currently mining rock quarry in IML B category at Konakalagala GND of Akurana DSD which can be upgraded to IML A to increase the production (CMS/KD/RC/010) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….17 Plate 05: River sand deposits in River Mahaweli, in upstream of Mahiyanganaya Bridge and downstream to the Nippon Bridge………………………………………………………………………………..……20 Plate 06: River sand mining, downstream of Nippon Bridge area (Just downstream to Heenganga)………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..21 Plate 07: River sand deposits at River Mahaweli in Pagaragammana area downstream to the Mahiyanganaya Bridge …………………………………………………………………………………………….……….22 4 1 Introduction Over the past two decades, state as well as private sector organizations initiated rapid development work throughout the country in a large scale. Of these projects, Port City development project, construction of expressways (i.e. Northern and Central expressways, extension of Southern expressway to Hambantota and Mattala), extension of Southern Railway line from Matara to Kataragama and construction of a massive building complex for the Ministry of Defense and Three Forces Head Quarters in Pelawatta and other government office complexes in Battaramulla, construction of irrigation and hydro power projects in many parts of the country, construction of multi storied apartment complexes in urban and suburban, etc., are the most significant. For these projects, huge quantities of building raw materials (sand, rock and soil / gravel) are required. Being the regulatory authority on Mines and Minerals Act No. 33 of 1992 and amended Act No. 66 of 2009, it is the responsibility of the GSMB to identify mineral resources in the country, including building raw materials, required for various industries and development projects, initiated by the state as well as the private sector. In the recent past, the contractors of various development projects have complained about the difficulties faced by them when identifying suitable localities for extracting and supplying building raw materials needed for the major development projects, currently initiated in many parts of the country. This has resulted in delaying construction work of some of the government high priority development projects. This matter was reported to Mr. R. Paskaralingam, Senior Advisor to the Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs by the relevant parties at the progress review meetings of the government development projects, held at the Ministry Subsequently a request was made to the Director General, GSMB by Mr. R. Paskaralingam, to immediately initiate an island wide survey to identify minable locations of building raw materials (sand, rock and soil / gravel) and to estimate their resources in order to use them as per the requirements of the projects. Accordingly, GSMB has commenced an island wide construction raw materials survey in early 2017. This report including maps, tables and annexes is the output of the survey conducted in Kandy District. 5 1.1 Construction Raw Material Survey for Kandy District Kandy district has a vital importance in the present development strategies in Sri Lanka. As the economic and administration hub of the central province, the government has launched a mega development plan centered on Kandy city. The proposed Megapolis in the Western Province enhances the prospects for the Kandy region. The Kandy region is environmentally fragile. Mahaweli and other rivers that flow through the region are a major source of water for the national irrigation system and the hydropower grid. Thus the region must be developed without damaging the environment. The Kandy region is ideal as a complementary service region – residential, education, healthcare, vacationing and so on – for the Megapolis. The Colombo-Kandy expressway will provide an efficient road transport link and an improved railway can supplement it. With upgraded link roads the entire Kandy/Central region can be organically linked to the Megapolis. Furthermore, in parallel to these large scale development activities numerous other construction events are being conducted throughout the District by the local government and private investors. Owing to unremitting rate of development activities in the area, proper methods should be followed to maintain a continuous supply of construction raw materials. Therefore, this survey would be helpful to evaluate and quantify the construction raw materials in the area. 6 2. Objectives The objectives of this survey are as follows. Conducting field surveys to identify suitable sites for mining construction raw materials. ( sand, gravel and rock) Identification of mining related issues and environmental concerns. Preparation of construction raw material resource map. Assessment of mineable quantities of construction materials in identified locations and their optimum extraction limits. 7 3. Study Area 3.1 Location and Accessibility Figure 3.1: Map showing Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Kandy District Kandy District is situated within the Central Province of Sri Lanka and it covers an area of 1906.3 km2. The district is divided in to 20 Divisional Secretariats and 1188 Grama Niladari Divisions. The capital of the district is the Kandy city which is the last kingdom in mediaeval 8 Sri Lanka and is a world heritage city named by the UNESCO. Kandy District is important in several ways; Kandy city is the administrative capital of the central province and it is also the financial and economic hub of the central province. Being situated in the central highlands of the country, the district is comprised of numerous environmental sensitive areas, attracted by tourists. The area covered by Kandy District lies within the topographic sheets of 1:50000 of Matale (Sheet No 48), Pallegama (Sheet No 49), Kegalle (Sheet No 53), Kandy (Sheet No 54), Mahiyangana (Sheet No 55) and Gampola (Sheet No 61). Kandy District is surrounded on North by Ukuwela, Raththota, Laggala-Pallegama and Wilgamuwa Divisional Secretariats of Matale District, on east by Mahiyanganaya Divisional secretariat of Badulla District, on south by Kandaketiya Divisional secretariat of Badulla District and Walapane, Hanguranketha, Kothmale, Nuwara Eliya and Ambagmuva Korale Divisional Secretariats of Nuwara Eliya District and on west by Aranayake, Bulathkohupitiya, Mawanella and Rambukkana Divisional Secretariats of Kegalle District and Rideegama Divisional Secretariats of Kurunagala District. The District is located between latitudes 06.56’ and 06.29’ and between longitudes 80.25’ and 80.00. Since Kandy district is surrounded by Kegalle, Kurunegal, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla and Matale districts, several access roads are present. Among them A1 Colombo – Kandy, A9 Kandy Jaffna, A5 Peradeniya Badulla Chenkalady are prominent and they are interconnected by several other class AB and AC roads. 9 3.2 Topography and Soil 3- Reddish Brown Lateritic Soil 10- Immature Brown Loams 6- Red Yellow Podzolic Soil 12-