An opposition MP has raised concerns about the Government's Mahaweli development plans, alleging discriminatory water distribution and settlement practices that could alter the ethnic composition of the Eastern Province.

Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam has expressed concerns regarding the Government's Mahaweli development initiatives, particularly the proposed Kivul Oya Project and associated land allocation practices affecting the Eastern Province. During a recent meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Rasamanickam raised longstanding issues with the development scheme. While the President reportedly assured the MP that the Government would address these concerns, subsequent parliamentary statements by the relevant Minister indicated that the Kivul Oya Project would proceed, prompting calls for meaningful community consultation.

Rasamanickam alleged that water distribution under the Mahaweli Scheme has been inequitable, with no water supplied to the Northern and Eastern Provinces despite water reaching Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura districts. He further contended that the Mahaweli Authority's operations extend beyond water management to land allocation and settlement establishment. The MP cited the renaming of the Manal Aru area to "Weli Oya" and the development of infrastructure to supply water to newly established settlements as evidence of this broader mandate, arguing this represents demographic alteration rather than equitable resource distribution.

In the Mayilathamadu–Mathavanai area, Rasamanickam highlighted disputes over grazing lands, reporting incidents including cattle deaths and illegal settlements on Mahaweli Authority land. He noted that the Government had previously committed to declaring Mathavanai a designated grazing reserve but that no progress has materialized, with survey work remaining incomplete. Rasamanickam warned that continued illegal occupation of these lands threatens traditional livestock farming livelihoods and risks escalating community tensions, calling for immediate Government intervention to prevent further settlements and protect grazing rights.