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| Saturday, 21 August 2004 |
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by Nadira Gunatilleke Rs. 708 million is needed to assist families affected by the drought. The Government has allocated Rs. 658 million and Rs. 200 million has already been released for 12 drought hit districts, said Women's Empowerment and Social Welfare Minister Sumedha G. Jayasena. The Minister said Rs. 50 million had been released for Kurunegala and Anuradhapura districts' drought victims. Rs. 16 million had been released for Puttalam district while Rs. 15 million each had been released for Badulla and Moneragala districts. Rs. 11 million was released for Polonnaruwa and Rs. 5 million each was released for Matale, Hambantota and Vavuniya districts while Rs. 4 million was released for Trincomalee district while Rs. 3 million each was allocated for Batticaloa and Ampara districts. Jayasena addressing a press briefing at the Women's Empowerment and Social Welfare Ministry, Battaramulla yesterday said Rs. 200 million was released to provide dry rations for drought victims while Rs. 23 million was released to distribute drinking water among drought victims. The funds released to rehabilitate tube wells is Rs. 25 million. Another Rs. 25 million had been released to provide drinking water. More funds will be released as soon as detailed reports are available. The number of drought affected families in the 12 districts is 561,191 while 150,960 acres of cultivated land have been destroyed due to the drought. District Secretaries have reported that it is essential to provide drought relief to farmers and agricultural labour families. The drought relief program will be implemented on the basis of `Food for work' system. The total number of drought affected districts is 14, the minister added. Jayasena said there are long term solutions and short term plans to handle the negative effects of droughts. Under the long term plans, arrangements will be made to rehabilitate small scale tanks, promote rainwater harvesting, construct community based water supply systems and agricultural well and reforestation. According to the District Secretaries of the drought hit districts, wells are being dug in the dried up tanks to get drinking water. There is a diarrhoea threat in the Medirigiriya area. Displaced families and others who receive relief under the World Food Program (WFP) will not be given drought relief, they said. Several NGOs including World Vision, Plan International, Oxfem, Save the Children and Sarvodaya Shramadaya Samitiya extended support to the Government's drought relief program. Women's Empowerment and Social Welfare Ministry Secretary Sita Rajapaksa, Director Social Services Yamuna Chithrangani, Director Disaster Management Centre, N. D. Hettiarachchi, District Secretaries of the drought hit districts, representatives from NGOs and several others were present. |
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