Immediate action for flood affected

Irangika RANGE and Sandasen MARASINGHE

Disaster Management Minister A. H. M. Fowzie told Parliament yesterday that the Government has allocated Rs. 27.6 million to provide relief to 302,477 people affected by floods in Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts.

The Minister said around 502,917 people had been affected due to heavy rains.

Minister Fowzie making a special statement, said 154,121 people from Colombo and 179,974 people from Gampaha, 61,755 people from Kalutara and 97,343 people from Galle have been affected by floods. It was reported that 18 people have died during this period due to floods.

According to the latest weather forecast of the Met Department, the rain is continuing in Ratnapura and Kalutara districts. Instructions were issued for the District Secretaries at a meeting convened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on May 18 to provide cooked food and dry rations to victims without any delay.

The Ministry is also coordinating the distribution of other relief items to the affected families.

Meanwhile, the President has summoned all heads of Departments and Corporations responsible for maintaining canals and drains and has given instructions to take immediate action to clean blocked drains on priority basis.

Relevant officials were also advised to closely monitor the progress of work undertaken by various agencies.

Meanwhile, the Road Development Authority was given specific instructions to open canal mouths in Seeduwa area to ensure unhindered access to the Bandaranaike International Airport.

The Minister further said that he would take short as well as long-term measures to mitigate floods in the Colombo district, especially in CMC area, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte MC, Maharagama UC, Kesbewa UC, Boralesgamuwa UC and Kolonnawa PS areas.

During the meetings attended by grassroots level politicians and officials it was noted that most of the canals and drains were heavily silted. Due to dumping of solid waste into them.

Short-term work plans were drawn with the relevant officials and agreement was reached to meet on fortnightly for monitoring. "My intention from the beginning was to take much effort in mitigating the flood disaster rather than the provision of flood relief services," he said.