President instructs swift measures to assist victims of bad weather conditions

A special meeting was held yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat to discuss immediate steps for necessary relief measures to the affected people by the prevailing unfavourable weather conditions. 

On the instructions of President Maithripala Sirisena, the Secretary to the President P.B. Abeykoon presided over the meeting, in which the relevant heads of the institutions took part.

The President also instructed the authorities to provide immediate relief to those affected and gave instructions to allocate necessary funds for the supply of food and other urgent requirements.

The President further gave instructions to the Minister of Disaster Management, Defence Secretary, Tri Forces’ Commanders and the IGP to be vigilant about disaster situations that can occur.

President Sirisena also emphasised the need of implementing a comprehensive  program to apprise the public regarding the natural disasters which could occur in any part of the country and also to establish a mechanism  whereby  the public will be able to inform of their grievances to the officials. President Sirisena has instructed officials to keep every section vigilant to be able to face any emergency disaster caused by the prevailing adverse weather conditions.

He also directed an increase of the allowance of Rs. 150 which is given to persons displaced by floods and earth slips, to Rs. 225.

He gave these directions at a special meeting held yesterday (May 16) at the Presidential Secretariat to provide relief for the victims of the prevailing adverse weather conditions.

The President pointed out that the task of the tri-forces and police in providing relief to people affected by the flood, earth slips and cyclones island wide, is very important. He instructed the security forces to act immediately in such disasters.

According to the matters discussed the Secretary to the President and other relevant officials will be available to contact regarding required instructions.

Attention was drawn to launch a proper disaster management program to mitigate such conditions in the future.

President Sirisena directed the Building Research Department to initiate a rapid program to make people knowledgeable about identifying vulnerable locations that would face earth slips. He also advised the Meteorology Department to raise the awareness among the people about disasters that arise due to adverse weather conditions.

It is reported that 128,428 people of 31,062 families in eleven districts including Gampaha, Colombo, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya have been displaced as of yesterday. The President also instructed every relevant section to expedite the continuous relief work which is currently underway. 

Minister of Disaster Management Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Secretary to the President P. B. Abeykoon, Secretaries to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Defence, Commanders of Tri-Forces and Security Chiefs, Senior Officers of the Ministry of Disaster Management, Building Research Department and the Meteorology Department, district officers and senior government officials also participated in this discussion.