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Unsung Hero of the Gal Oya Project - Dr. Roman Szechowycz

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Unsung Hero of the Gal Oya Project - Dr. Roman A. Szechowycz, Dr. Sc. (Eng), Hanover, M.A.S.C.E., M.I.E.C., A.M.I.C. E. (Information furnished by his son, Andreas, also an Engineer).    Among the many foreign experts who worked for the Gal Oya Development Board at its inception was Dr. Roman A. Szechowycz, Engineer & the Chief Forest Officer, who played a key role in the project at the time. As was the practice then, some of these experts lived in the project area with their families, under the most difficult conditions, & Dr. Szechowycz too was with his family in the project.   Dr. Roman & his colleagues Dr. Roman, Sabina Szechowycz & his staff ? , Dr. Roman, Andreas (partly covered) Dr. Roman with some villagers Dr. Szechowycz was ever willing to share with & impart his knowledge to others, & his publications & lectures, during his period of service (1950-1961) were as follows:   Some of his contributions listed by him are as follows:     He was also a con
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Gal Oya Valley Scheme, American Participation & Downstream Development

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    Compiled by KK De Silva,  an employee of the RVDB,  1967-1979 Introduction   Sir James Emerson Tennent, Colonial Secretary from 1845 to 1850, at page 432 of his book,  Account of the Island of Ceylon … .. Vol. II says that on a visit to the Horra-bora Tank (Soraborawewa ), then in ruins, he was so impressed with its magnificense & potential for rice cultivation that after subsequent inspections of other ancient tanks in the Northern Division , he proposed in 1848 that measures be taken to restore important ancient reservoirs by legislative action; his proposal was approved, but action delayed due to unavoidable circumstances, possibly the 1848 uprising, & legislation was introduced later, when Sir Henry Ward was Governor, by way of the Irrigation Ordinance No. 9 of 1856 . Soraborawewa was restored in 1876. (Arumugam,1969). The Irrigation Department was established by the British in Ceylon on 15 th May 1900 & it had taken over the following schemes which were then under
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