The Hon. Asoka Sapumal Ranwala

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I second the motion. With the prevailing monsoon, this debate is timely.

¶ 02 For millennia, communities along Kelani, Kalu, and Gin rivers have faced floods. Gampaha and Colombo sit where these rivers meet the sea, with extensive lowlands and water retention areas that are now densely populated, making floods more damaging. People end up chasing dry rations and relief camps every year, while officers and the tri-forces work hard to mitigate impacts.

¶ 03 Temporary plaster solutions are not enough. Long-term measures are required. One option is extending embankments, but then we face the engineering problem of gates and pumping. A more sustainable approach is to divert excess water volumes to less vulnerable areas at peak times. Proposals exist for Kalu Ganga; for Kelani too, proposals were studied decades ago and are in Parliament’s Library. We must unite—Members and residents—to implement real solutions quickly. I conclude.