The Hon. Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, thank you for the opportunity to speak on the Rs. 500 billion supplementary estimate to restore shattered lives, rebuild damaged infrastructure, and deliver relief after the “Dicha” cyclone.

¶ 02 On 23 November, atmospheric disturbances began setting the stage. On 25–26 November, the disturbance intensified into a low-pressure area; amber alerts were issued; notices limited fishing and informed at-risk communities. On 25 November at 3.45 p.m., red alerts stated the system was developing into a depression. By 27 November at 2.30 p.m., both the Met Department and Disaster Management Centre confirmed evolution into a cyclone and issued guidance to safeguard life and property.

¶ 03 Natural disasters cannot be precisely forecast; institutions must monitor and advise as conditions evolve. They did so. However, as a society we have not consistently organized communities for disaster readiness, nor built the necessary technological systems. We must now develop both.

¶ 04 The President declared essential services, established a Special Disaster Operations Centre under Lt. Gen. Lasantha Rodrigo, and coordinated tri-forces, state institutions, volunteers, and media. An Essential Services Commissioner-General was appointed to lead.

¶ 05 The National Council for Disaster Management had not met for seven years under both Presidents Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe. This Government reconvened it in August and again after the disaster to direct relief and reconstruction.

¶ 06 All available aircraft and helicopters were deployed for life-saving missions. Rules were adjusted to allow provincial machinery and funds to be used anywhere nationally via special circular.

¶ 07 We mobilized a great wall of volunteer labour, enabling rapid restoration in Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, and Matara—repairing irrigation, schools, and more. Some Opposition figures mocked “sandbag development” when temporary routes to Ududumbara and Hanwella were re-cut by new rain; but these were emergency access routes for food, medicine, and aid—not permanent builds. Mocking them is to mock human compassion and volunteerism.

¶ 08 We will compensate across 15 sectors—housing, education, infrastructure, agriculture, industry, commerce, agribusiness, fisheries, and for loss of employment—at levels never before done. For example, the grant to clean damaged houses is increased from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 25,000; vegetable-crop land damage, previously uncompensated, will receive Rs. 200,000 per hectare; registered livestock farms, previously uncompensated, will receive Rs. 200,000 plus per-animal assessments; replacement housing grants rise from Rs. 2.5 million to up to Rs. 5 million; high-risk land compensation increases from Rs. 400,000 to up to Rs. 5 million.

¶ 09 We have long experience in disaster response—1998 cyclone, 2003 southern floods, 2004 tsunami, 2009 conflict-related interventions, 2016 and 2018 floods, 2022 floods—working as a small opposition party then without fomenting unrest, even when the then governments gave little direct relief. People recognized our work.

¶ 10 Today, parts of the Opposition try to manufacture falsehoods. One MP, Dilith Jayaweera, used his media to amplify a fabricated “Indian Express” story, alleging early warnings were ignored. The public rejected it. If such lies persist, that media edifice will collapse under its own falsehoods.

¶ 11 Another, Wimal Weerawansa—the “Kelani beggar”—predicts an anti-government uprising in April. If the Opposition clings to such tactics, people will keep rejecting them.

¶ 12 There is a Member from Kolonnawa who did nothing to rescue the 32 people buried and 150 houses crushed in the Meethotamulla garbage slide during Yahapalana—no JCBs provided then. Now, as we act decisively to manage waste and rebuild, they ridicule us. We will continue to lead this effort decisively. I conclude. Thank you.