United Tractor & Equipment (Pvt) Ltd (UTE) recently delivered eight Hydraulic Excavators of the Cat 312D2 Series for Climate Resilience Improve Project of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Management.

The official handing over ceremony of the machines to the Ministry took place at the UTE Head Office. The Hon. Vijith Vijithamuni Soyza, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resource Management graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.

The Climate Resilience Improvement Project spearheaded by the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Management is funded by the World Bank and aims to strengthen the country’s physical and fiscal resilience towards natural disasters.

The total project cost is USD 212 million with key World Bank Credit funding of USD 110 million to improve climate resilience. The project commenced during August 2014 and will continue until 2019.

“The CRIP Project is part of the Government’s unrelenting long term planning and efforts for effective irrigation management. As we face ongoing and future challenges due to climate changes, the need to plan ahead is imperative and this project will help minimize flooding due to climate change and its damaging impacts and implications to farming communities and the economy,” Minister Soyza said.

Eng. Sudharma Elakanda, Project Director – CRIP noted, “The Government is undertaking a comprehensive Climate Resilience program to strengthen the country’s physical and fiscal resilience to hydro-meteorological disasters. Through this project we hope to minimize the negative impacts of the climate changes.”

The Cat D series excavators will be used for work in the CRIP assisting in rehabilitation of the canals, aqueducts, slope stabilization, reinforcing road infrastructure etc. meeting challenges across various types of jobs.

Previously the rehabilitation work of this nature was conducted using traditional methods, now the Cat excavators will assist in increasing the productivity and will contribute to the speedy completion of the project.

Priath Fernando, Chairman – UTE, officially handing over the Cat ® 312D2 Excavators to Hon. Vijith Vijithamuni Soysa, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resource Management