Namal demands to know President’s solution for water scarcity 

MP Namal Rajapaksa 

• Asks President and Cabinet to clarify their position and outline their plans
• Says SLPP has the right to directly inquire about assistance and relief as President was appointed by them
• Calls on all to come together to prepare a program to ensure water management, electricity generation

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa attending a party electoral meeting in Bingiriya yesterday urged President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Cabinet to clarify their position and outline their plans for addressing the challenges confronted by the drought-affected population and farmers grappling with dwindling water resources.

“The farmers have been severely affected by the drought. Farmers in the South, East, North Central, and North Western provinces are bearing the full impact of this situation. As we are the ones who elected the President, we have the right to directly inquire about the assistance and relief that the President and the Cabinet plan to offer to the affected people. We demand to know what measures they will take to address the scarcity of water for agricultural purposes. It is essential for them to openly disclose their stance on this matter,” he said.  

Rajapaksa noted that the President attended the Climate Change Summit and was able to foster good relations with attending countries. “We must look into what support we can garner from them. I intend to discuss this at the Parliamentary group meeting as well,” he said. 

“Similarly, I address the Leader of the Opposition and Comrade Anura Dissanayake, emphasising the need for a pragmatic and united approach devoid of political criticism. Despite our political differences, we must confront these natural challenges together,” he said. 

“Therefore, we should all come together and prepare a practical program to make water management, electricity generation and farmers’ harvest successful,” he added.