The Hon. Kins Nelson

¶ 01 Funds have been allocated. However, Rs. 8 million has been received only for the Polonnaruwa District. Therefore, send those funds immediately. Do not hold them up saying vouchers are needed, to check estimates, or to call for tenders. Give that authority to the Divisional Secretaries. Today, Divisional Secretaries are very willing and eager to work, but I also see a certain fear among them. As a Government, speak and make them aware: “Do not be afraid. We have allocated these funds. Spend them.” Spend those funds and ensure that people receive relief without delay.

¶ 02 Madam Deputy Speaker, in the Polonnaruwa District, some dairy farmers’ cattle died and were washed into the forest. Now the water has also retreated and the stench is unbearable; you cannot even go to some areas. There are houses with tons of accumulated waste and no way to remove it. Therefore, I say again: instruct that the received funds be spent without fear. These are to be spent for our people who have been displaced. So, I urge you to empower the District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries accordingly.

¶ 03 Especially, for dry rations to those displaced, Rs. 2,100 has been allocated per person; Rs. 1,200 of that is for seven days. If Rs. 2,100 is for seven days, that is Rs. 300 per day. Is Rs. 300 per day sufficient? Can someone manage a day on Rs. 300? Therefore, Madam Deputy Speaker, this must be revised. We ask for corrections because we want them done properly. We requested time today to speak and make these changes. They can be changed immediately. I request special attention to this.

¶ 04 I spoke this morning with the Department of Irrigation to ask how much more water can be stored in Parakrama Samudra. At present, 89,200 acre-feet have been released. We can still store another 116,000 acre-feet. We have not even opened the spill gates yet. However, why has Polonnaruwa District faced this catastrophe? It is because the water from Moragahakanda Reservoir was not sent to Polonnaruwa in a regulated manner when needed. Due to the water discharged from Moragahakanda, the Polonnaruwa District was devastated. Parakrama Samudra has still not started spilling. Even today, it can accommodate another 116,000 acre-feet. Speak to the Irrigation Engineers in Polonnaruwa and check how much more water can be stored. If Parakrama Samudra can take another 116,000 acre-feet and it did not spill, why did Polonnaruwa go under? What was the problem there? Whose responsibility is it? This cannot be allowed to recur; it must change.

¶ 05 Because of this, the Elahera anicut in the area declared a World Heritage Site has been completely breached and destroyed. The Mahaweli Authority says it will take 14 days to restore it; we do not know if that is feasible.

¶ 06 Regarding crop damage: paddy fields under floodwaters have been destroyed. In the Elahera scheme areas, some fields were not submerged; but if they do not receive irrigation water for 14 days, those fields too will be lost. Madam Deputy Speaker, give special attention to protecting the farmers in areas spared by flooding, otherwise a rice shortage is inevitable. Some fields are entirely destroyed; in some places fields are buried in sand; elsewhere, fields have been scoured to depths of three to four feet, exposing rock. It will take years to restore them. If we need to rebuild these fields by bringing soil, filling and leveling, and preparing for cultivation, there is no current mechanism to do so. These farmers have nothing left. I trust you will pay special attention to this as well.

¶ 07 The biggest problem now is power outages. With no electricity, RO plants providing drinking water in the Polonnaruwa District are not functioning. We still do not have a way to restore them because we lack electrical technicians. We have a very limited number of electrical technicians, and this problem is affecting many areas. Due to staff shortages, institutions cannot function. Today there is no power and no safe drinking water. Wells cannot yet be cleaned. I must especially commend our Tri-Forces, the Civil Security Department, and all public service personnel for their dedicated efforts. Our Grama Niladharis, Public Health Midwives, and Samurdhi Development Officers are working tirelessly without care for day or night, often without a proper meal, standing with the people. We must strengthen them. The Ministries of Defence and Health are not profit-making entities; they serve the nation.

¶ 08 I have seen some Members question allocations to the Ministry of Defence, asking why so much is set aside. It is precisely for moments like these, to go out and work. Therefore, do not criticize this here. Just as we fund Education and Health, we must allocate adequately to Defence. Now we see its value. If the Army had not come and deployed boats, could those displaced people have been rescued? Our helicopters rescued many. We need more such capacity. The absence of war is not a reason to reduce the number of officers in the Armed Forces or cut resources to the Forces, Police, or Civil Security Department. Today, even the hospitals in Polonnaruwa and Manampitiya have no electricity. The Manampitiya Divisional Secretariat does not even have a generator. I propose that every Divisional Secretariat in Sri Lanka be provided at least two generators.

¶ 09 Lack of electricity in hospitals is a grave tragedy.