News
CMC steps in with relief packs
View(s):The Colombo Municipality Council has stepped into provide dry ration packs for low income families living in isolated areas.
Shalika Ranaweera, Charity Commissioner said CMC members suggested providing 70,000 dry ration packs to low-income families who are in lockdown areas, and that they hope to complete the process by next week.
“A pack includes 10kg of rice, 200g tea, 1kg flour, 1kg dhal, 1kg sugar, 1 packet of soya meat, and is valued around Rs 2,500-3,000,” she said.
“Our first priority is low-income families in lockdown areas who have lost their daily source of income. We hope to provide relief packs to other low-income families too within the CMC area in future,” she added. More than 50% of the recipients are from the CMC’s 47 municipal divisions which are in lockdown areas.
“In these areas, most families are low-income, daily wage earners. That is the real challenge for us,” she added.
The families were identified by CMC members. “First we depended on government suppliers; the process was rather slow, so we called tenders from other suppliers too because we saw a public pressure from people who are in lockdown.
“Colombo Mayor Mrs Rosy Senanayake, Municipal Commissioner, CMC members and all workers with other government agencies are working tirelessly to do the best we can do,” Ms Ranaweera added.
Pix and text by Amila Gamage