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Research Journal of the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka- Rohana 11, 2019

Table 1. Population in the locality affected by the water
crisis
Provincial Secretariat GrāmaNiladhāri Population
Division Division
Vilimbula (North) 1,797
Vilimbula (Sorth) 3,070
Butpitiya (North) 390
Butpitiya (South) 933
Ūruwala (East) 1,756
Ūruwala (West) 1,769
Sivuralumulla 1,456
Māharagama 1,507
Kīnigama 1,835
Kimbulgoda 1,724
Pilikuttuwa 1,598
Vilimbula (North) 1,797
Vilimbula (South) 3,070
(Source: Dept. of Census & Statistics)

Dipped Products PLC belonging to Hayley’s Company was opened in Nädungätuma

in the year 1994. Even prior to this year the acidity in water in the region had

already been there. This establishment is a factory manufacturing rubber glove. The
production of this factory fulfils 18% of the world’s requirement of rubber gloves.

As the quality of these rubber gloves are higher in standard than that of in India and
China it has become a challenge to those two countries. During the last few years at

a number of occasions, the factory removed about 120 employees who were residing
in the area. Some of these employees have been reported as active members of JVP.

It is as a result of the combination of a natural phenomenon with a personal issue

that the crisis in question arose. Some were of the opinion that Indian gloves
factories had wanted to disable the factory and as such there had been the Indian

Intelligence behind the issue. Accordingly, two main points seem to emerge.

1) There is a water crisis in this area.

2) There prevails a hatred towards the factory.

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