President uses Emergency Regulations to maintain smooth supply of essential items

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has promulgated Emergency regulations to maintain the supply of essential food items at controlled prices with effect from midnight today.

The regulations will be applicable to the supply of paddy, rice, sugar and other essentials and prevent hoarding of essentials.

The President has declared these regulations under the powers vested in him subject to Article 2 of the Public Security Ordinance.

Major General D.S.P. Niunhella has been appointed as Essential Services Commissioner-General to co-ordinate the food distribution. 

The regulations can be used to order to issue essential food items to the consumers at prices fixed according to guaranteed prices or prices based on the import prices. 

The moves came as the shortages of milk food, rice and sugar were being experienced in different parts of the country with long queues at Lanka Sathosa outlets to collect one-kilo gram of sugar.

The Sunday Times print edition on Sunday exclusively reported that a rationing scheme was being introduced at the Sathosa to sell sugar and Dhal among essential items.  However, that too did not materialise.