Spearheaded by Prime Minister D. S. Senanayake, the Dominion of Ceylon’s landmark Gal Oya Project, its first major post-independence undertaking, aimed to reshape the valley by damming the Gal Oya River to create the Senanayake Samudra reservoir. This ambitious endeavor brought significant changes, irrigating approximately 40,470 hectares, resettling 250,000 individuals, and establishing vital infrastructure. However, the resettlement process unfortunately triggered ethnic unrest. Ultimately, the project transformed the region into Ampara, becoming a potent symbol of both progress and the disruption of existing social structures, impacting the Vedda and other long-established communities.