The Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, I move the following Adjournment Motion:

¶ 02 Due to the “Bengal” cyclone that formed in the Bay of Bengal a few days ago, approximately 24 districts and regions including the North and East were affected. The number of persons affected has exceeded 475,000, making this one of the worst recent natural disasters. Floods damaged paddy and other crops and large extents of agricultural land. Farmers who depend on agriculture for their livelihood have been severely affected.

¶ 03 Seventeen persons have lost their lives due to adverse weather. In Nintavur, a group of madrasa students travelling in a hand tractor met with an accident near the Karaithivu bus halt bridge area, and eight died. Eleven madrasa students have died in total. I urge the Government to provide compensation for crop damage, property damage, and loss of life caused by these floods.

¶ 04 The Disaster Management Department had forecast such an event based on meteorological warnings. Owing to some officers’ good performance, certain districts were protected. However, due to negligence by some officers, lives were lost and major losses occurred. I must place this on record.

¶ 05 This is the largest disaster since this Government assumed office. One of the most tragic incidents is the death of the Nintavur madrasa students. I visited that madrasa; flood waters had entered to such an extent that they could not remain inside. The principal and teachers arranged to send students safely home by bus. Because the Karaithivu bridge area was submerged, bus services could not operate across it. Students were then sent using a 118010 vehicle, and police at the scene were present. If the police had properly discharged their duties, this accident could have been prevented. Two hours earlier, another 1180000 vehicle had already met with an incident at the same spot. Those students were unaware of the earlier incident, but the police were aware and did not inform or warn them, allowing travel over the bridge as usual. This childish conduct by police and disaster officials contributed to the tragedy.

¶ 06 When the incident occurred, the principal and others pleaded with police and relevant officers to save the students; some students cried for help. Yet the police did not alert the Disaster Management Centre or the Navy or any appropriate authority, nor did they act for several hours. Later, arriving police told them to file an entry at the police station. Instead of immediately rescuing the children, they said to go and make an entry. Many of us here have children; we know what a child’s loss means to a family. Yet the police, disregarding those children’s lives, delayed, and even then at Karaithivu Police, for 1–2 hours they did not record the entry, and the next day they sent the principal and others to remand through court.

¶ 07 I visited the families of the deceased and conveyed condolences and prayers. While death is in God’s hands, the Government, the authorities, and we as people’s representatives have a duty to prevent such risks. Steps must be taken to ensure this does not recur. Whether Grama Niladhari, police, Disaster Management Centre staff or other officers, legal action should be taken against those who failed to act properly.

¶ 08 Across the country more than 17 lives were lost. We convey sympathy to the families and pray for them.

¶ 09 In Mannar District which I represent, the Mannar Island was entirely flooded—damage unprecedented. There, 19,811 families, totaling 68,334 persons, were affected; over 30 small tanks were damaged; 7,500–8,000 hectares of agricultural land affected; 91 km of minor roads damaged; hundreds of livestock died. On the Mannar–Jaffna route near Palliyaru, I saw livestock owners crying; their cows and goats died, depriving them of livelihood. As a former Minister of Resettlement and Disaster Relief, I know that while circulars govern relief, humanity demands flexibility. Therefore, through the Disaster Relief Secretariat or other means, provide immediate compensation and assistance.

¶ 10 In Vavuniya, 161 small tanks have breached; 6,000 hectares of paddy affected; a Sinhala brother died while bathing in Vavuniya. In Mullaitivu, 3,099 families (9,398 persons) affected; 60 houses partially damaged; small bunds, roads and fields damaged; livestock affected. In Trincomalee, 4,249 families (12,654 persons) affected; 89 houses partially damaged. In Batticaloa, 23,561 families (73,500 persons) affected; 129 houses partially damaged; nearly 1,000 acres of farmland damaged. In Ampara, more than 5,000 hectares of farmland affected; fisherfolk could not go to sea for days and have had no relief. Tanks earlier rehabilitated at a cost exceeding Rs. 300 million have now breached; special allocations are needed to repair them to save agriculture.

¶ 11 Puttalam District was also affected; Puttalam town in particular cannot withstand even minor floods. In such crises, aid from All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama, Teachings of Islam, and private organizations and foreign donors like Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, India, and Caritas reached people faster than Government help. We thank them on behalf of our people.

¶ 12 With Hon. Upali Samarasingha, Deputy Minister from Vavuniya, we held meetings across our three districts; when we requested funds, he promptly delivered—our thanks. We must approach affected farmers, livestock rearers and fishers with humanity and grant compensation.

¶ 13 To the Members elected from Akkaraipattu in Ampara: your constituents suffer floods annually, losing Rs. 300 million, Rs. 500 million, even Rs. 1,000 million in private property each year. Use your Government’s majority to implement concrete flood‑prevention projects in places like Akkaraipattu. If needed, we too will help secure funding from Middle Eastern countries.

¶ 14 Floods are increasing nationwide; in the hill country, many lives have been lost. A permanent plan is needed. There is a National Council for Disaster Management chaired by His Excellency the President. Though the current President has been in office only a short time, past Presidents did not convene it. That Council, comprising ministers and experts, must be convened to develop and phase in solutions to prevent future floods and loss of life. I conclude with this appeal.