Military deployed to assist drought affected people

Saturday, 8 October 2016 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Sri Lanka Army has been deployed to assist drought affected people in ten districts, Director General, Disaster Management Centre, Major General L. B. R. Mark said yesterday.

Pollonnawaruwa and Medirigiriya have been worst hit by prevailing dry weather conditions. To address the drinking water shortage in some of these areas, the military will be distributing water in Welikanda, Dimbulagala, Lankapura, Thamankaduwa, Medirigiriya and Hingurakgoda areas in the East.

Troops attached to Security Force Headquarters - East (SFHQ-E) have been deployed to distribute water using their own water bowsers and are engaged in supplying water to communities hardest hit by the dry spell experienced in the region.

This initiative, taken under the directive of Army Commander Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva has benefitted more than 70,000 people who were facing severe hardship in finding water for their daily needs. The Army expects to expand their service to others areas as well.

Minster of Disaster Management Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said in Parliament yesterday that over 118,000 families have been affected by the drought. However, he had not anticipated Maha season paddy cultivation to be affected due to prevailing conditions as rains were expected within the next week.

Meanwhile, the Ceylon Electricity Board also assured uninterrupted supply despite dry weather.

The CEB was confident that they can meet the daily consumption of electricity at 40-41 gigawatt power as rains are expected soon. Director (Development) Sulakshana Jayawardena said it could comfortably supply the demand for electricity.

He added the total water levels of Castlereagh, Maussakele, Kothmale, Victoria and Randenigala have increased from 35% to 52% since April which is sufficient to generate electricity as per the current demand.