Attention must be shifted to the mental health of children living in safety camps.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that in order to restore people’s lives back to normalcy, the government will provide the relief and assistance, and that the effective cooperation of officials at the divisional level is important to ensure that essential relief reaches the public promptly.
The Prime Minister made these remarks during the Disaster Management Committee meeting held on 07 th of December at the Udapalatha Divisional Secretariat Office in Kandy, after inspecting the relief distribution and the efforts to restore the lives of the people, who affected by the damage caused in the Kandy District due to the recent disaster situation, back to normalcy.
The Prime Minister also inspected the damages caused by the disaster and the relief operations in the areas of Geli Oya, Udapalatha, and Doluwa.
Officials stated that power outages affecting the Udapalatha and Doluwa areas have been restored, major roads are now open, and cleaning of rural roads is currently under way. They further noted that drinking water supply is being provided to the affected areas, and banking services will be started once the communication disruptions are fully restored.
Addressing further, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:
It is only through our collective efforts and dedication that we can restore both the lives of people and the economy following this after effects of the disaster. We must pay special attention to the mental health of the children staying in safety camps.
We were able to save lives during this devastating situation because of your commitment, regardless of whether you had prior experience in managing such disasters or not.
I extend my gratitude to every one of you for your dedication, even going beyond your official duties, during this extremely challenging period.
The occasion was attended by Members of Parliament for Kandy District Pashmin Shariff and Tanuja Dissanayake; Additional District Secretary Lalith Etampawala; Udapalatha Divisional Secretary Atma Jayaratne; Doluwa Divisional Secretary Yamuna Dayarathna; and officials representing institutions including the Ceylon Electricity Board, National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Road Development Authority, Police, and Disaster Management Centre.
Prime Minister’s Media Division