Fire brigades to be set-up in Mullaitivu and Puttalam: PM

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said today (Feb 06)  that one fire brigade each would be set-up in the Mullaitivu and Puttalam Districts which has not had a fire service for a long time.

He made these remarks while responding to TNA Parliamentarian Charles Nirmalanthan who claimed that the government has not taken measures to establish a fire brigade to the said areas despite several requests having been made in this regard.

"We wrote to the Prime Minister on December 27 last year addressing this complaint," MP Nirmalanthan claimed while adding that he had written to the Minister of Local Governments and the President as well in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

He pointed out that fire brigades have to be dispatched from Vavuniya in case of a fire in Mullativu or Puttalam. 

"Vavuniya is aproximately 80 kilomteres away from both these districts and it takes almost two hours for these fire trucks to arrive," he complained.

In response, the Prime Minister said that he would instruct the Minister of Local Governments to set up both districts with one fire brigade each this week.