President visits Ratnapura to review relief initiatives for flood affected

President Maithripala Sirisena who chaired a special discussion today to review the progress of flood relief initiatives being carried out to the affected people in Ratnapura District, instructed officials to not to limit their relief work with government circulars. 

He said that Cabinet will take a decision at the next Cabinet to initiate a new process at national and district levels to face challenges frequently arising due to natural disasters.

Earlier in Kalutara, President Sirisena said that a comprehensive programme will be implemented in the future to construct houses destroyed due to the inclement weather.

He said that the programme will be implemented based on the information received from the relevant institutions. He made these remarks participating in a special meeting held to discuss immediate steps for necessary relief measures to the affected people by the prevailing unfavorable weather conditions at the Kalutara District Secretariat, today (27).

The final decision on implementing an appropriate mechanism with regard to granting compensation for deceased persons, and providing relief to the displaced persons who lost their day to day livelihoods, will be taken following the meetings with the relevant authorities in the next week, the President said.

Minister W. D.J. Seneviratna, Thalatha Athukorala,Deputy Minister Karunarathna Paranavitana, Members of Parliament representing the District, Local Government Ministers, Ratnapura District Secretary, public servants, Tri-Forces Commanders,IGP and Senior security officers participated in this meeting.