Senior Professor of Geography, University of Peradeniya,
Fellow of the Royal Society of Geographers, Adviser to the Goverrnment of Sri Lanka on the Mahaweli Authority. Authour of numerous works related to climate, water and agriculture. B.A from University of Peradeniya, Ph.D from Cambridge University.
1985 | Chairman, Presidential Land Commission of Sri Lanka . (La n d Commissions are appointed in Sri Lanka once in 25- 3 0 years by the Head of the State to inquire into and report on theland policy. Presidential Commission is similar in status to aRoyal Commission in UK and the Commonwealth) |
1986 | Senior Visiting Overseas Scholar at St. John’s College,University of Cambridge, U.K. ( Invited by the College Council by by Election) |
1987 | Consultant, German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Watershed Management Project Evaluation Team, Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka |
1988-1989 | Consultant, Norwegian International Aid Programme (NORAD) Envi r o n m e n t a l Study of Sri Lanka. ( This is the first comprehensive report on Environment and Development in Sri Lanka) |
1989-1990 | : Consultant, World Bank Environmental Action Plan for Sri Lanka. ( This study ultimately evolved into the National Environmental ActionPlan (NEAP) now operative in Sri Lanka) |
1989-1994 | Member of the Coast Conservation Advisory Council , Government of Sri Lanka (Appointed by the Cabinet Minister in- c h a r g e of the subject) |
1990-1993 | Member of the Presidential Task Force on Land Alienation (Appointed by the President of Sri Lanka). |
1990-1996 | : Member of the Steering Committee on Natural Resources of the Natural Resources , Energy and Science Authority ( NARESA.) (Appointed by the Minister of Scienceand Technology) |
1989–1992 | Senior Fellow; Institute of Fundamental Studies , Hantane,Kandy. |
1991-1992 | Consultant, Ministry of Environment / U N D P - Preparation of the Sri Lanka Country Report for the Earth Summit or the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). |
Since 1992 | : Fellow of the National Academ y of Sciences of Sri Lanka .(Fellowship of T h e National Academy is a rare distinction for a member of the Sri Lankan academic community and it is awarded through an election by distinguished scholars who are members of the National Academy) |
1991 -1994 | Head, Department of Geography, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka |
Since 1992 | Life member of the Organization for Professional Associations (OPA) of Sri Lanka. |
1993-1997 | Coordinator of the Inter- Faculty Centre for Environmental Studies , University of Peradeniya. |
1994-1997 | 1994 - 1997 : Thematic Network Node for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP/NETTLAP) for the South Asian region. |
1995 - 1997& 2001 - 2006 | : Chairman, National Environmental Council of Sri Lanka. (Environmental Council is the main statutory advisory body to the Central Environmental Authority, Ministry of Environment and the Government of Sri Lanka). |
1998 | Senior Visiting Scholar, United Nations University, TokyoJapan |
2000 | Visiting Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science; University of Tokyo, Japan |
2002-2004 | Chairman, Academic Affairs Board, National Institute ofEducation, Maharagama |
2002 | Chairman, National Water Resources Authority of Sri Lanka, Pelawatta, Sri Jayawardhanapura, Kotte, Colombo |
2003 | National Consultant: Asian Development Bank Project under IUCNColombo; TA/Project Number 5974-REG |
since 2003 | Member of the Governing Council; Buddhasravaka Bhikku University, Anuradhapura |
Had experience of working with international research teams from Japan (University of Tsukuba), Sweden ( University of Linkoping), U.K. ( Universities of Cambridge and Sussex), India ( University of Madras), Germany ( University of Mainz), Norway ( University of Trondheim), The Netherlands ( ITC, Enschede) The United Nations University, Tokyo and the UN Centre for Regional Development, Nagoya, Japan. A sample of post-doctoral publications (about 50%) during the last thirty years is given below:
1971 | Drainage Basin Clusters in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka: Bulletin of the Ceylon Geographical Society, Colombo |
1971 | The morphometry of dissection in the central highlands of Ceylon. University of Cambridge, ph.D. |
1973 | Ground water resources in the Dry zone hard rock area. Colombo,CAAS. |
1974 | The Orientation of Straight Slope Forms on the Hatton Plateau of Central Sri Lanka: Reprint from The Journal of Tropical Geography Vol.38, June 1974, Singapore. |
1974 | Drainage Density and Effective Precipitation; Journal of Hydrology,21,187- 90pp. |
1974 | The case for recycling subsurface water for paddy cultivation in the Dry zone. (Ceylon studies seminar),series no. 5, University of Peradeniya |
1975 | Sarasavi sisunge pradesiya vyaptiya saha distrikka kramaya pilibanda Adahas kipayak. (District quata system of admission of students to Universities: some thoughts), Sri Lanka samajavadi Adhayana Kavaya,Peradeniya. |
1977 | Water resources of South Eastern Sri Lanka:a case study of the Kirindi Oya basin. IHP National committee of UNESCO on Hydrology. |
1977 | The Prospects of Recycling Sub-surface Water for Supplementary Irrigation in the Dry Zone; In Agriculture in the Peasant Sector of Sri Lanka; Wesley Press, Colombo, 85-99pp. |
1977 | Hydrological Consequences of Agrarian Change; Chapter 24 in Green Revolution? ( Edited by B.H. Farmer), Mc Millans, London. |
1979 | : A Study of the Practice of Well Irrigation in the Country Around Vavuniya in Northern Sri Lanka; Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences Vol2(2) 65-88pp |
1980 | Some Aspects of the Behaviour of the Groundwater Table in the Vicinity of Selected Major Irrigation Reservoirs in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka; Tsukuba Symposium on Hydrology; 4th Report of the IGU Commission on the IHP; (Ed. Reiner Keller) Verlag Beitrage Zur Hydrologie. Kirchzarten, Germany; 67-82pp. |
1980 | A Study of the Practice of Well Irrigation in the Country AroundVavuniya in Northern Sri Lanka; Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences, Vol.2; No.2 |
1982 | Effect of Drought on the Livelihood of Peasant Families in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka : A Study of the Mahapotana Korale in the North Central Province. Climatological Notes: No.30, University of Tsukuba, Japan |
1982 | A Survey of the Coastal Zone of Sri Lanka, Vols.I,II, & III, Coast Conservation Department, Colombo (Unpub.) The text of the book published in 1989 under the same title, by the Coast Cosnservation Department. 116pp |
1982 | Report of a survey of the people and private property affected by the Victoria reservoir project, vols; 1&2, Kandy, Victoria Project office. |
1982 | 1982 Behaviour of the Groundwater Table in the Vicinity of Selected Major Irrigation Reservoirs in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka. In Beitrage Zur Hydrologie (Ed. Rainer Keller), Germany |
1984 | Green Revolution and Water Demand - Irrigation and Groundwater in Sri Lanka and Tamilnadu; in Understanding Green Revolutions; (Eds. Sudhir Wanmali & Tim Bayliss Smith) Cambridge University Press. |
1985 | Coastal Changes of the Crow Island and its Environs, Booklet published by the Coast Conservation Department , Govt. of Sri Lanka, 46 pp. |
1985 | : Catchment Ecosystems and Village Tank Cascades in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka: A Time-Tested System of Land and Water Management; in Strategies for River Basin Management (Eds. Lundqvist,J. et.al.) Linkoping, Sweden. 99-113pp. |
1985 | The Mahaweli Strategy of Sri Lanka: The Great Expectation of a Small Nation, in Strategies for River Basin Management (Eds. Lundqvist,J. et.al.) Linkoping, Sweden. 265-2278pp. |
1985 | Water Resources of the Kirindi Oya Basin –A Study in River Basin Water Balance; In ‘Some aspects of water resources of Sri Lanka :with special reference to its Hydrology’. National Committee of Sri Lanka for International Hydrological Programme. Irrigation Department, Colombo |
1985 | Mahaweli saga: challenge and response. (Co-author), Mahaweli Authority Of Sri Lanka, Colombo,103pp. |
1987 | Coastal Changes of the Negombo Lagoon Outfall and the Kalu Ganga Estuary; (Co-author) Coast Conservation Department, Government of Sri Lanka; 61pp. |
1988 | : Farmers’ adjustments to an environmental hazard-beach of a village tank (Co-author) Modern Sri Lanka studies, vol; 3, no1, 71-82pp. |
1989 | Recent Natural Disasters – Wrath of Gods or the Responsibility of Men? Economic Review, Vol.15: No.2. Peoples bank, Colombo; 4-7pp. |
1989 | A Survey of the Coastal Zone of Sri Lanka; Coast Conservation Department; Government of Sri Lanka; 116pp |
1989 | Environmental Awareness among the most vulnerable Communities in Developing Countries; International Social Science Journal, Vol.121; UNESCO, 441-448pp |
1989 | Coastal Changes of Crow Island and Its Environs. Colombo, coast Conservation Department.46p |
1989 | From villages to settlements: Land use transformations in new Mahaweli Settlements at Kotmale. Sri Lanka Economic Journal, Vol; 4, no1, 45-55pp. |
1990 | Management of village irrigation in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. In: Irrigation and water management in Asia. By/Gooneratne.W,and Hirashima.S, ed New Delhi,Sterling. 148-189pp. |
1991 | Watershed management precept and practice. SOBA: Environmental publication,vol;2, no.1, 18-21pp. |
1992 | Restructuring the provincial system: a paper presented at the National Geography Conference, 7-9 Aug, Vol; 46, Dept. of Geography, University of Peradeniya and Sri Lanka Association of Geographers. |
1992 | Trees and Water: some unresolved issues. In: Multipurpose tree species in Sri Lanka: research & development: proceedings of the 3rd regional Workshop, Bangkok, 1-3 May, Faculty of Agriculture, Peradeniya. 17-23pp. |
1992 | Integration of Environmental Concerns in Local and Regional Development, in The 20th Anniversary Commemoration Volume, UNCRD, Nagoya, Japan. 157-173 pp. |
1993 | Some issues in the integration of environmental concerns in regional Development. In: Multilateral cooperation for development in the twenty-first Century. Nagoya, United Nations Centre for Regional Development.173-257pp. |
1993 | Land Use Change and Hydrological Trends in the Upper Mahaweli Basin; Co-author) Report of the Special Project on Global Environmental Change; University of Tsukuba, Japan |
1993 | Geomorphology in Sri Lanka; Chapter 44 in The Evolution of Geomorphology - A Nation-by-Nation Summary of Development. Edited by H.J. Walker and Grabau W.E. John Wiley and Sons, New York |
1994 | Land Policy and Land Management in Sri Lanka; in Ecology and Landscape Management in Sri Lanka; Edited by Erdelen, W et al. Margraf Verlag, Germany. 507-515 pp. |
1994 | Adverse Impacts of Land Uses and Improper Land Management Practices on Slope Instability and Land Slides; National Symposium on landslides in Sri Lanka; Vol.I: 199-206pp |
1987 | Land Use Changes and Tropical Stream Hydrology: Some Observationsfrom the Upper Mahawel Basin of Sri Lanka – Chapter 8 in Process and and Form in Geomorphology, Ed. David Stoddart, Routledge of London and NewYork. |
1987 | Development and Environment – The Challenge for Balance .Chapter One in Environmental Impact Assessment- The Sri Lankan Experience, USAID/NAREPP/CES publication, Colombo. |
1988 | Land use and land settlements; the last fifty years and some thoughts in future policy. In; Fifty years of Sri Lanka’s independence; a socio-Economic review, Sri Lanka Institute of Social and Economic studies.72-84pp |
1998 | Hydrological implications of soil water dynamics under an alley cropping System in the mid country intermediate zone of Sri Lanka. (Co-author), Tropical Agricultural Research Peradeniya, PGIA, vol; 10, 117-133. |
1999 | : Water Resources of Sri Lanka (Co-author) National Science Foundation; Natural Resources Series No.4; 112pp. |
1999 | Extreme Rainfall Events in Sri Lanka: Some Statistical Aspects and Social Impacts (Co-author) International Conference on Climatic Change, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan. |
2000 | Water Resources of Sri Lanka (Co-author) National Science Foundation ofSri Lanka, Government of Sri Lanka, Colombo, 112pp |
200 | : Land Resources of Sri Lanka: Conditions and Trends; In Natural Resourcesof Sri Lanka, National Science Foundation, Government of Sri Lanka, Colombo. |
2001 | : Geomorphology in Sri Lanka. In: studies in Geography to felicitate professor Bernard Leslie Panditharatne. By/Nelson,M.D.ed, University of Peradeniya, Department of Geography. 15-26pp. |
2001 | Water resources. In: Natural resources in Sri Lanka, National Science foundation, Colombo. 75-109pp. |
2001 | Correlation of climatic parameters and evaluation during the monsoons in Sri Lanka. (Co-author), Tropical Agricultural Research, vol; 13, 189-200pp. |
2001 | Redefining the Provinces of Sri Lanka – A National Need of Our time. AnAlternative Approach Towards Regional Development and National Stability. University Lecture Series, University of Peradeniya. Delivered on 24th January 2001. 1-36pp. |
2002 | Pavitra Ganga-Ganga droni kalamanakaranaya pilibanda nava Sankalpayak. (River streams-new concept in river nagement),Soba,Sept,no.8,9-14pp. |
2003 | Towards a National Water Resources Policy : Need for Integrated Water Resources Management; Seminar on Facing Challenges of Water Resources in the 21st Century, Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon College of Chemical Sciences, Colombo, 62-68pp |
2003 | Traditional Knowledge and Life Style : A Consultant Report Submitted to the Biodiversity Experts Committee, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, for the National Biodiversity Action Plan. 1-47pp. (Unpub.) |
2004 | Coastal and Marine Resources Management and Poverty Reduction in South Asia : Situation Analysis and Compendium Reports: Key contributor and Consultant to the Report of the Project ADB/RETA (No.5974-REG) available at the IUCN Website. |
2004 | Climate Change and Its Impact on the Upper Watersheds of the Hill Country of Sri Lanka; Proceedings of the International Conference on Sustainable Water Resources Management, 17-19 November 2004, Vol.I: (Ed.Herath, Pathirana and Weerakone), Co-authored with Gamage, P.W; United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan, 94-110pp |
2004 | Relationship with land and water management for Agricultural production of a tank cascade in Dry zone of Sri Lanka.(Co-author)In: water resources research in Sri Lanka: symposium proceedings of the water professionals’ Day-2004. Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture, Peradeniya.13-24pp. |
2005 | Relief and Drainage : Chapter 3.6: National Atlas of Sri Lanka; 25-26pp.Sri Lanka Survey Department, Colombo |
2005 | Land Use: Chapter 6.1: National Atlas of Sri Lanka; Sri Lanka Survey Department, Colombo |
Editorial Contributions
1975 | Editor, Bulletin of the Ceylon Geographical Society (1971-195) |
1982 | Co-editor; Climate Water and Agriculture in Sri Lanka; University of Tsukuba, Japan |
1992 | Co-editor; The 20th Anniversary Commemoration Volume, UNCRD,Nagoya, Japan. 157-173 pp |
1994 | Co-editor; Ecology and Landscape Management in Sri Lanka; Margraf Verlag, Germany. 507-515 pp |