President tells Disaster Management meeting:

Combined mechanism needed to provide immediate relief for flood affected

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday instructed officials to put in place a combined mechanism that would provide immediate relief for the flood affected people and facilitate the gradual receding of flood waters

He said this mechanism should be formulated by the Disaster Management Ministry with the coordination of Local Government and Home Affairs Ministry, Divisional Secretaries and other Government officials. The President made these directives at the Disaster Management meeting held at Temple Trees yesterday.

It was disclosed at this meeting that more than 277,000 people belonging to 65,000 families have been affected by the floods and the Western Province has experienced 340 mm rain during the past few days. The flood hit people are being provided with cooked meals for which the Government has allocated Rs. 18 million. It was also revealed at this meeting that the Government jointly with the World Food Program initiated a program to provide dry rations to the affected people.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa emphasized that stern action needs to be taken against unauthorized dwellings and Local Government bodies should implement the Government’s policy to ensure that no low lying lands are filled in their areas.

The President sought an immediate report of the Government officers including the Divisional Secretaries who showed reluctance in looking into the problems of the people who were affected by the floods.

He added that swift action should be taken on the health issues arising out of floods in the urban and suburban areas.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was also ordered by the President to forward a complete plan in relation to constructions in the urban and suburban areas in the future. He stressed the need of rehabilitating all tanks which are in a dilapidated condition in accordance with the old irrigational plan of the country.

Disaster Relief Minister A.H.M. Fowzie, Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Health Minister Mithripala Sirisena, Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena and Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha also participated in this meeting.