The Hon. Anuradha Jayaratne, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, I remind the Hon. Deputy Minister that on the 27th it will be six months. For fully damaged houses, Rs. 5 million is now provided to build anew. But practically, after beneficiaries identify land, obtain the NBRI report and Divisional Secretary’s certification, by the time they return, the landowner has sold the land. This is a real problem. In Gampola, due to “Ditwah,” sellers are reluctant to sell to affected persons because funds take three to five months, and once a letter is issued indicating sale to an affected person, the land cannot be sold to anyone else. Will the Government develop a process to resolve this?

¶ 02 Also, regarding the lack of early preparedness for “Ditwah,” I noted the Parliamentary Special Committee summoned the Mahaweli Authority DG. If our Mahaweli Authority remains unaware of a cyclone warned by many (including international and national meteorological bodies), what happens if an issue arises at a reservoir like Kotmale? It will affect potable water and agriculture nationally. Will you ensure officials are properly directed and a structured plan, with an empowered team, is put in place?