The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, this is the final day of the Committee Stage debate on the 2026 Budget. Though ready to speak on the Ministries under discussion, due to the adverse weather and the calamity we must focus on the “Dissha” cyclone’s impact. While the Opposition suggests postponing the debate for a week to pass unanimously, even under these conditions our Ministry Secretary and all heads were ready. Inevitably, our discussion turns to the devastation caused by the cyclone. They say “let us work together”; there is no barrier to that. But when we work together, some jump in to obstruct. Has the Opposition even properly examined the statistics beyond TV frames?

¶ 02 They criticized granting special leave to public servants. Let me name Hon. Kabir Hashim who raised this: why was leave declared? Because heavy rains from 26th and 27th caused landslides and travel disruptions; casualties and displacements continued. With caution, the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration issued Circular 30/2025 dated 2025.11.27 declaring Friday, 28.11.2025 a special holiday for government offices due to the prevailing disaster. It clearly states it does not bar calling in essential and disaster relief staff as required. I table this circular.

¶ 03 The cyclone’s damage is immense: nearly 500 deaths and about 350 missing so far—an enormous tragedy. We tried to save our people.

¶ 04 Yesterday was the final Poya of the year, important to Anuradhapura. The Atamasthanadhipathi appealed to devotees not to come this time to allow cleaning and reorganization of heavily affected areas. This month, from the 4th onward, massive cleaning is needed in the devastated divisions; pilgrim movement would hinder that.

¶ 05 This is the highest rainfall in Sri Lanka’s recorded history. Some claim the losses are 6–7 times the tsunami; indeed, the tsunami affected one zone, while this disaster affected 22 districts. An Essential Services Commissioner-General has been appointed to facilitate.

¶ 06 Let me touch on Anuradhapura. As of yesterday, 21,557 families were displaced and 70,882 persons affected there; fully damaged houses 147; partially damaged 1,584—and rising. Anuradhapura, with the most tanks, faced imminent breaches: at Mahawilachchiya, the spillway had to be opened to prevent failure; at three other tanks, bund tops had to be lowered. Officers strove to save Nachchaduwa and Padaviya without cutting. But when cuts were made at major tanks, four medium tanks—Kirigollewa, Mahanikawewa, Nochchikulama and Elayapattuwa—failed. Consequently, 36 small tanks were cut to relieve pressure; 64 minor tanks breached; 372 minor tanks were manually cut by villagers to release water; 151 suffered minor damage; three anicuts failed. In total, 631 tanks were damaged in Anuradhapura alone. There were 78 fatalities in the district and four outside. Twenty-four welfare centres house 663 families (1,924 persons), many from fully destroyed homes.

¶ 07 Crop damage is severe: about 70,000 hectares inundated; roughly 50 percent of cultivated area in the district affected, much of it destroyed—especially under medium and minor irrigation. Replanting is needed and national production will be impacted; we must plan for inputs and discuss mitigation.

¶ 08 When some asked “what did the government do?”, misinformation spread—claiming 60 people trapped on the Kalawewa bridge bus were being washed away. Those who bothered to see the operation would have known the immense effort by the Navy, Air Force, Police and Civil Defence. Even bringing in the largest helicopter, the Mi-17, could not land due to rotor wash endangering those on the roof. Initially, five Navy personnel reached by small boat; if delayed an hour, all 60 would have died. As water rose, they moved everyone onto a nearby roof. One person remains missing; another died after being hospitalized; the rest were rescued after a 48-hour operation.

¶ 09 At 3.00 a.m. on the 27th, a special Naval team from Trincomalee was deployed; the President was at the Air Force base directing operations to the security forces. Despite this, some spread false news. Three helicopters and boats could not get close due to the current; finally, a specially trained Navy team waded in, laying ropes and knots, to bring them out, with the first extraction reaching back by 8.30 a.m.—a massive effort. Yet the Opposition tried to milk even this for politics.

¶ 10 In Anuradhapura, beyond homes and crops, livestock were lost—dairy cattle, buffaloes, goats, poultry and pigs; vegetable cultivation destroyed; livelihoods wiped out. The government has decided to rebuild all—hence the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” programme and a dedicated fund, harnessing the private sector, while the Disaster Management Centre handles disaster response. We must take this appeal globally; neighbours like India and Pakistan are helping; even the Maldives has raised funds.

¶ 11 We will provide further relief: Rs. 25,000 to each schoolchild for equipment; over four million families are affected; millions of children lost bags and uniforms. We will assess and give to all in need. The house-cleaning grant is raised from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 25,000. Provincial and local authorities are jointly conducting mass shramadana to clean wells, latrines and roads, together with the compassionate public. This is not for finger-pointing.

¶ 12 Some Opposition Members came to Thambuttegama but went to Galnewa for shramadana; Thambuttegama was not severely flooded—Rajanganaya’s low-lying “Kudagama” area with about 40 families went under when water rose after opening spill gates. People with big hearts donated household goods and equipment to those affected.

¶ 13 The rains terrified people as much as lightning does; the cyclone caused great fear—but we cannot turn the country back. The tri-forces, Police and Civil Defence made immense sacrifices; let us honour those who lost their lives. They saved 295 lives in this disaster.

¶ 14 The worst damage in Anuradhapura was along the Malwathu Oya—Nachchaduwa, Manupa and Nenupe D.S. divisions. Rather than accusing, let the Opposition join the work now—mass clean-ups have begun. Come to shramadana; help bund repairs. There is much to do—640 tanks need bund work; fences and anicuts have failed, causing enormous destruction.