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Landslide Task Force soon

by Nadira Gunatilleke

A Task Force to prevent deaths and damage caused by landslides will be set up soon.

District Secretaries of flood and landslide prone areas such as Ratnapura, Matara, Galle, Hambantota, Kalutara and Nuwara Eliya were instructed to set up technical committees in their districts to avert possible deaths and damage in landslides, Social Welfare Ministry Secretary Vijayalakshmi Jegarasasingam told the Daily News yesterday.

She said that technical committees will include members from organisations handling land use, local authorities, Local Government, Road Development Authority (Provincial and District), Urban Development Authority and the Physical Planning Department. A meeting was held at the Social Welfare Ministry in connection with the setting up of technical committees. All District Secretaries were instructed to conduct awareness programmes in their districts from October 2003.

The first awareness programme is scheduled to be held at Ratnapura on October 3. More awareness programmes will be held on October 5 at Kotapola and Matara. Awareness programmes will be held at Palindanuwara and Kalutara on October 19.

Landslide threats have increased by 40 per cent during the last two decades. It was revealed that residents of landslide prone areas were negligent and hence the deaths and damage to property could not be prevented.

Therefore, creating awareness among residents in landslide prone areas is essential.

The Social Welfare Ministry will conduct awareness programmes through the mass media.

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