Additional essentials for Wanni civilians

Rasika Somarathna

COLOMBO: The Government is planning to send additional shelter material and other essentials for displaced civilians in Wanni in the face of monsoonal rains which arrived earlier than expected.

In addition, more than 3,000 metric tons of dry rations have already reached the displaced in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu since October 2, Commissioner General of Essential Services S.B. Divarathna said yesterday.

According to Divarathna another 20 lorries sponsored by the World Food Programme (WFP) carrying essentials to Wanni are expected to leave Vavuniya within the next couple of days.

This is to be followed by another 50 lorries sponsored by the Government and WFP during the course of next week carrying essential supplies to IDPs in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.

According to Divarathne the estimated need according to the numbers provided by the Government Agents on the IDPs was around 500 tons of food per week.

While emphasising that the Government and the WFP consignments were meeting this demand comfortably, the Commissioner added that they had enough buffer stocks in Vavuniya to meet any emergency.

In addition, storages under the Government Agents in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu had the capacity to store around 4,000 to 5,000 tons at any given time, Divarathna added.

Divarathne said that an independent verification regarding the number of displaced

was difficult as they were depending on the numbers provided by the Government Agents which stood at 150,000 according to latest statistics.

The figure could be much lower, Divarathne said adding that Vakarai was the best example where after liberating the area, the actual numbers provided by local authorities were found to be much higher than the ones provided during early estimations.