-By Tharindu Uduwaragedara
(Lanka-e-News -28.Nov.2025, 11.10 PM) For all the political noise that inevitably accompanies moments of national crisis, the unfolding disaster has exposed a telling divide: while floodwaters rise, power lines fall and families seek shelter, some political actors appear more preoccupied with finding advantage than offering assistance. Yet, this is not a moment for manoeuvring. It is a moment for unity, coordination and administrative discipline.
That shift—towards a procedurally governed response rather than ad-hoc improvisation—was visible in several critical steps taken this week.
According to H. S. K. J. Bandara, Director General of the Government Information Department, the government has already released Rs 1.2 billion for emergency relief operations. In addition, Rs 30 billion has been earmarked from the 2025 national budget to fund broader recovery and disaster-response requirements.
During a virtual briefing with all District Secretaries, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake instructed administrators to request whatever funds they require without hesitation. He directed all agencies to execute relief operations “efficiently and without obstruction”, emphasising that bureaucratic delays would not be tolerated.
One of the more significant shifts has been the government’s insistence that all actions be taken strictly under the Disaster Management Act. As the President reminded officials, no government—regardless of who holds power—possesses a supernatural ability to stop a natural disaster. What matters is the speed and coherence of the response.
Sri Lanka’s worsening weather conditions prompted President Dissanayake to convene a special emergency session of the National Disaster Management Council at the Ministry of Defence—a gathering that included virtually every major political and administrative figure.
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Presidential Secretary Dr Nandika Sanath Kumaranayake, several Cabinet ministers, all three service commanders and senior civil servants. The inclusion of both government and opposition leadership underscored the political gravity of the crisis.
Two urgent decisions are now under consideration:
A formal declaration of a disaster situation
Gazetting essential services
Both measures, if enacted, would equip the state with broader operational authority.
Although Sri Lanka’s disaster-management law mandates that the National Disaster Management Council meet every three months, not a single administration in the past seven years had convened it. Instead, natural calamities—from floods to landslides to epidemics—were handled through impromptu meetings of individual ministries.
But this government quietly revived the council earlier on 6 August, even before the current deluge. Several key long-delayed decisions were taken then.
Simultaneously, district-level disaster committees—long dormant—have now been fully activated. As a result, a wide communication network has been established, allowing ground-level data to reach the central administration rapidly, a critical improvement over previous crises.
At yesterday’s National Disaster Management Council session, President Dissanayake issued a series of decisive directives:
Reservoir and Irrigation Safety
Amid heavy rainfall, rising water pressure threatens reservoir bunds and floodbanks. Irrigation officials were instructed to intensify monitoring, coordinate with engineers and alert residents in downstream areas.
Technical Assistance and Compensation Delays
The President noted that slow information flow is the primary cause of delays in compensation payments. He ordered the Tri-Forces engineering units to support data collection and field assessments to speed up relief.
Agricultural Relief
Beyond compensation for destroyed crops, the Ministry of Agriculture must prepare a structured programme to provide seed paddy and fertiliser subsidies for the next cultivation season.
Public Information and Countering Misinformation
Given the proliferation of false rumours on social media during disasters, state agencies were instructed to release accurate, continuous weather and safety updates to the public.
Tourism and Opposition Proposals
The safety of foreign tourists currently in Sri Lanka received special attention.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa proposed forming a dedicated committee to coordinate with foreign missions and ensure tourist welfare. The President instructed the Sri Lanka Tourism Board to operationalise this proposal immediately.
At the start of 2025, the Ministry of Defence introduced a comprehensive new set of relief circulars, replacing the outdated Circular 01/2020. Additional amendments were issued in May, improving clarity and expanding benefits.
Key enhancements include:
Relief for Loss of Life
Compensation increased to Rs 1,000,000 per fatality.
Compensation for Permanent Disabilities
Up to Rs 1,000,000 for individuals rendered fully incapacitated.
Housing and Property Damage
Maximum compensation raised to Rs 2,500,000 for fully destroyed homes.
An additional Rs 25,000 allocated for damaged household appliances.
Cooked Meal Allowances
Rs 600 per person per day (Rs 200 per meal).
Dry Rations (Weekly Allowances)
Single individual: Rs 1,800
Family of 2: Rs 2,400
Family of 3: Rs 2,800
Family of 4: Rs 3,200
Five or more: Rs 3,600
Temporary Housing / Rent Allowance
Families with fully destroyed homes receive Rs 10,000 per month for six months until reconstruction is complete.
Under the Disaster Relief Services Guidelines 01/2025:
Initial reports must reach the District Secretary within 24 hours of an event.
Damage assessment committees operate at three levels:
Up to Rs 300,000 – divisional level
Rs 300,000 to Rs 1 million – district level
Rs 1 million to Rs 2.5 million – ministry-level technical panel
For drought-affected areas, the state must supply 6 litres of drinking water per person per day.
The mid-May amendment introduces several crucial updates—most notably concerning dangerous, untrimmed trees, which remain a major contributor to deaths and property damage during storms. (The remainder of this section continues with expanded regulations on prevention, removal, and compensation procedures.)
A) Failure to Remove Dangerous Trees (A Critical Legal Point)
The new amendment introduces a landmark provision pertaining to the removal of hazardous trees. For decades, a legal vacuum existed regarding responsibility for accidents caused by unstable or overgrown trees, particularly during monsoon seasons. The revised guideline now makes it unequivocally clear:
Local authorities are legally obliged to identify and remove dangerous trees situated on public land.
Failure to do so—especially after written complaints by residents—will constitute an administrative lapse, making the relevant officials liable for disciplinary action.
In instances where such negligence results in injury or death, the government is empowered to initiate legal proceedings or recover compensation from the respective local authority.
This clarification, officials say, resolves long-standing confusion between municipal councils, road development authorities and divisional secretariats over who bears responsibility for preventive action.
B) Faster Damage Assessments
The amendments have also streamlined the bureaucratic process that previously delayed compensation. A new 48-hour assessment rule mandates that:
Technical teams must conduct on-site inspections within two days.
Reports must be uploaded to the central disaster relief system within 72 hours.
District Secretaries are empowered to release interim payments immediately if delays occur at ministry level.
This is intended to prevent the months-long delays which became customary under earlier administrations.
C) Special Allowances for Schoolchildren and the Elderly
Recognising the disproportionate burden borne by vulnerable groups, the revised guidelines introduce:
A special clothing and essentials allowance for schoolchildren who lose uniforms, textbooks or stationery during floods.
A medical and transport allowance for elderly citizens and persons with disabilities during evacuation and temporary relocation.
Officials noted that this is the first time such a targeted welfare mechanism has been introduced in Sri Lanka’s disaster relief framework.
Government officials concede that Sri Lanka’s past disaster responses were plagued by ad-hoc decision-making and ministries acting in isolation. The new policy framework aims to correct this structural weakness.
A Revived National Mechanism
Under the Disaster Management Act, the National Council for Disaster Management is required to meet every three months. Yet—remarkably—it had not convened even once under previous governments for more than seven years.
The present administration convened the Council on 6 August, even before the current crisis reached its peak, signalling what officials describe as “a return to lawful governance.”
District-Level Committees Activated
At ground level, district disaster management committees have been reactivated and are operating continuously. These committees have created:
A real-time information network linking Grama Niladhari divisions, divisional secretariats and the central government.
Rapid reporting channels that minimise delays previously caused by manual paperwork.
Officials say this structure has already proven critical in identifying high-risk locations and coordinating immediate evacuations.
At yesterday’s emergency meeting of the National Council chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a series of decisive instructions were issued.
1. Protection of Irrigation Structures
With reservoirs and irrigation tanks reaching critical water levels, the President ordered:
Continuous monitoring of bunds, spillways and sluice gates.
Engineering teams to be stationed at high-risk sites around the clock.
Immediate evacuation instructions where pressure levels exceed safety thresholds.
2. Technical Support for Compensation Distribution
Delays in data consolidation have frequently slowed the release of compensation. The President instructed the engineering corps of the armed forces to provide technical assistance to accelerate verification and digital documentation.
3. Agricultural Relief
The Ministry of Agriculture has been directed to:
Provide seed paddy and fertiliser subsidies for the next cultivation season.
Finalise a transparent methodology for compensating destroyed farmlands.
Deploy agricultural extension officers to assess village-level damage.
4. Accurate Public Information
The President emphasised that:
Weather warnings and cyclone alerts must be broadcast at regular intervals across all major media.
Social media users should refrain from circulating unverified information.
The Disaster Management Centre must act as the single authoritative source.
5. Protection of Tourists
Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa proposed the creation of a dedicated committee to ensure the safety of visiting tourists. The President endorsed the proposal and instructed the Tourism Authority to coordinate with foreign missions.
At the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Defence introduced a comprehensive new circular series governing disaster relief. The earlier 01/2020 circular was abolished and replaced with four principal documents:
Disaster Relief Services Circular No. 01/2025 (Foundational Policy)
Disaster Relief Implementation Guidelines No. 01/2025
Circular Amendment No. 01/2025 (I)
Guideline Amendment No. 01/2025 (I)
These provide the legal basis for all compensation, relocation assistance and emergency response procedures now in operation.
--By Tharindu Uduwaragedara
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by (2025-11-28 18:38:08)
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