Rs 49 m for relief

Disaster Management Ministry Additional Secretary Gamini Rajakaruna yesterday stated that the Government has already allocated over Rs 49 million for relief provision for the flood-affected people.

Stating that all measures have been taken to provide food and other relief to flood victims he said President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed not to starve even a single person affected by the floods.

He stated this Asi Disi Intelectual Forum on Natural Disaster Management held at the Information Department Auditorium.

Additional Secretary Rajakaruna added that the allocations made for Batticaloa district, the worst affected district is Rs 25 million.

He said further a sum of Rs 8.8 million has been allocated for the Ampara district while Rs 5 million and Rs 3.5 million have been allocated for the Trincomalee and Polonnaruwa districts respectively.

The allocations made for the Anuradhapura and Kandy districts are Rs 2.5 and Rs 1.3 million. He also said that those affected at welfare centers are provided with cooked food. They also are provided with dry rations until they are resettled.

Other necessary materials would be provided for those whose houses are partially or completely destroyed. He stated that cooked food and bottled water are provided to them by boats and air with the support of the three forces and the Police.

According to the Government Information Department more than 28,000 Tri Forces members and Police have been deployed round the clock on alert with boats and helicopters at their disposal to help the affected in all districts.

All District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries have been given authority to provide cooked meals to 195,000 people staying at 493 welfare centres.

Further, the Sri Lanka Army operates four helicopters from Ratmalana Air Port continuously to transport cooked meals from Colombo directly to marooned welfare centres which the Sri Lanka Navy has also deployed boats to ferry cooked meals to the centres from respective Kachcheries as well in addition to rescue operations carried out by them.

Meanwhile, the Disaster Management Centre has mobilized all its resources in districts that are not affected to assist the ongoing operations.

Water Pumps and water purification tanks have also been sent to Batticaloa and Ampara districts.

Three water purification tanks with a capacity of 5000 liters each will be used to provide drinking water.

Following the request made by the Government for public assistance several International non-government organizations and local and foreign non-government organizations have come forward to assist the affected people. As the Government has given top priority to provide relief to the affected people by mobilizing all resources there is no shortage of food or shelter to any affected people. The Health authorities have also mobilized medical officers and allied staff inclusive of Public Health inspectors to affected areas, the Government Information Department said.

The Additional Secretary stated that any person or organization that wish to make contributions to provide reliefs could contact the phone number at 0112530436 or mobile number 0713041226.

Those who wish to hand over them to the stores directly could bring them to the seventh store at the Orugodawatta Food Store Complex.

He added that the monetary contributions can be remitted to the Bank of Ceylon Account No 0007040166 at the Torrington Branch. Anybody can contact the Chief Accountant over the phone No 0112681983.

(SM&CP)