Land for flood-prone area residents

Ridma Dissanayake

The people residing in flood-prone areas will be provided with habitable lands, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said.

The minister made these observations while visiting evacuation centres in the Polonnaruwa district. Around 25 evacuation centres have been established in Polonnaruwa. They accommodate to over 3,400 persons.

If the persons living in flood affected areas like to go and settle down in Mahaweli areas, they can receive new lands from the government.

"Many persons are living in state lands without permission. They face problems, including natural disasters and threat of wild elephants", he said.

Minister Sirisena instructed the Thamankaduwa Divisional Secretary to make a list of the persons who are willing to have lands in Mahaweli areas. "We took measures to provide Mahaweli lands for the flood affected persons in previous times, but they did not agree to leave their villages. Now, they have understood the threat to their lives due to floods", the minister said.

Foods, medicine and sanitary facilities for the flood affected have been provided by the government.